Players scrambled for cover during their warm-up routines and the covers came on before the rain eased, allowing ground staff to dry the surface before play could get underway.
Ollie Pope (24) and Harry Brook (15) were at the crease at stumps on day four, with England still needing 536 runs to complete by far the largest successful run chase in test history.
India had declared on 427-6 after Shubman Gill scored another hundred (161) while KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja hit half-centuries.
England lead the series 1-0 after winning the first test at Headingley.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Christian Radnedge)