ABSTRACT Soil sorption has a significant impact on the fate and behaviour of agrochemicals in soil and water. The current study attempts to investigate the sorption desorption behaviour of Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, in three different types of black cotton soils (BC-1, BC-2, BC-3) and red soil (RS) of Southern India using batch equilibrium technique under two different temperature conditions (273/300K). The data revealed that the Freundlich model provided the best explanation for the observed adsorption isotherms. BC-2 soil had higher adsorption coefficient (Kf) value, followed by BC-3, BC-1, and RS. Clay content, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and specific surface area (SSA) all had a positive correlation with Kf value, indicating that they are responsible for Imidacloprid adsorption in the soil. The change in enthalpy (ΔH°) value was found to be negative in all of the investigated soils, indicating that the sorption process was spontaneous and exothermic, and that hydrogen bonding may be responsible for sorption. The low value of Kf and organic carbon partition coefficient (Koc) indicates that Imidacloprid is mobile in black cotton and red soils and has potential to contaminate groundwater resources.