The present study analyzed the actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) and its components [transpiration (E_t), bare soil evaporation (E_b), interception loss (E_i), and open water evaporation (E_o)] data to study the long-term (1980–2018) trends over different meteorological sub-divisions in India. Quantitatively, all India average (µ) annual ET_a is 573 mm (standard deviation (σ) = 29 mm), where E_t (µ = 456 mm; σ = 30 mm) plays a major role compared to other evaporation processes like E_b (µ = 56 mm; σ = 9 mm), E_i (µ = 34 mm; σ = 3 mm), and E_o (µ = 27 mm). The Mann–Kendall (MK) test reveals an increasing trend (1.33 mm/yr) in annual ET_a due to the rising trend in E_t (1.91 mm/yr) and E_i (0.16 mm/yr). The sub-division-wise analysis shows the increasing trend in ET_a observed over irrigated regions located in the south, north-west, and foothills of the Himalayas during pre-monsoon (March–May) and monsoon season (June–September). The correlation analysis observed a complex relationship between ET_a and climatic factors (rainfall (RF), soil moisture (SM), surface temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), surface net solar radiation (SSR), and wind speed (WS)) during monsoon season such that the water-limited areas have a positive correlation with SM, RH and RF, and negative correlation with WS, T, and SSR, whereas, in energy-limited areas (east India), the ET_a showed a positive correlation with SSR and T and negative correlation with RF. The main climatic drivers for the increasing trend of ET_a are SM and rainfall over dry regions and SSR and T over densely vegetated regions in India.