Soil erosion remains a critical concern in the northeastern hill regions of India, threatening soil productivity and watershed sustainability. This study employs the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model, integrated with remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) data, to evaluate the spatial and temporal soil erosion patterns in the Dhansiri River Basin from 2010 to 2023. The rainfall erosivity (R) factor was computed using Indian Precipitation Ensemble Dataset (IPED) rainfall data, which has a 0.1° resolution, while the topography/Length–Slope (LS) factor was derived from a 30 m resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The Soil Erodibilty (K) factor was estimated from SOILGRIDS-based texture and organic matter parameters, and the Crop management (C) factor was generated from MODIS-derived NDVI composites. Land use/land cover (LULC) classification determined the P-factors, assuming little conservation. The estimated average annual soil loss for the basin was almost 34.6 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, exceeding the acceptable limit of 25 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for mountainous areas. The peak annual soil loss was documented in 2017 (56.01 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), whereas the minimum was noted in 2010 (16.97 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Spatial classification indicated that 45.07% of the basin area is subject to Slight erosion (0–5 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), whereas 6.94% is categorized as experiencing Extremely Severe erosion (>80 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The integration of the RUSLE with GIS tools demonstrated efficacy in identifying erosion-prone areas and provides essential insights for the development of focused, evidence-driven conservation strategies. These findings establish a scientific basis for formulating sustainable soil and water management strategies for implementation in the Dhansiri River Basin.