This paper assumes that in India forces will gather strength in the next ten to twenty years until the expansion of irrigated area becomes less important as a source of growth in agricultural output other kinds of changes within the irrigation sector. It also assumes that the subsector of irrigated agriculture will necessarily continue to shoulder a major share of the burden of increasing agricultural production. To explore the implications of this notion, this paper first reviews past sources of irrigation-related growth in Indian irrigated agriculture and the nature of remaining potential for expansion. It then speculates on potential sources of future growth.