India　plays　a　pivotal　role　in　global　water　resource　management.　Existing　studies　have　not　well　characterized　structural　characteristics　of　virtual　water　flow　network　in　India　(e.g.,　critical　sectors,　transactions,　and　supply　chain　paths)　in　the　context　of　global　supply　chains.　This　may　impede　the　efficiency　of　policy　measures　on　the　mitigation　of　India＇s　water　shortage.　This　study　identified　critical　transmission　sectors,　intersectoral　transactions,　supply　chain　paths,　and　communities　of　India＇s　virtual　water　flow　network,　by　combining　the　global　environmentally　extended　multi-regional　input-output　model,　structural　path　analysis,　betweenness　concept,　and　community　detection　method.　Results　show　that　in　addition　to　domestic　water-intensive　sectors,　the　transmission　sectors,　intersectoral　transactions,　and　supply　chain　paths　associated　with　domestic　service　sectors　(e.g.,　the　＇Hotel　and　restaurant　services＇　and　＇Other　land　transportation　services＇　sectors)　and　foreign　sectors　(mainly　chemical　industries,　light　industries,　and　services　in　large　manufacturing　entities)　also　play　important　roles　in　transmitting　India＇s　water　uses.　The　importance　of　critical　transmission　sectors　and　transactions　related　to　foreign　regions　(e.g.,　the　rest　of　Asia-Pacific　Region　and　China)　have　increased　significantly　during　1995–2020.　Moreover,　major　communities　mostly　involve　sectors　from　different　regions.　These　findings　can　provide　hotspots　for　India＇s　water　resource　management　in　terms　of　improving　the　productivity　and　strengthening　the　interregional　and　intersectoral　cooperation.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd