Groundwater depletion poses a critical threat to sustainable wheat production in Pakistan's semi-arid regions. Improving water productivity through water-saving interventions is essential to address this challenge. Although surface drip irrigation (SDI) and sprinkler irrigation (SI) improve water use efficiency (WUE) and grain yield, however these irrigation techniques are limited to static irrigation and lack dynamic response towards crop water requirement. In this regard, the current study evaluates the performance of responsive drip irrigation (RDI), a sub-surface irrigation technique, to improve the WUE of wheat. A split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out. Field experiments were conducted over the course of two years (2022-23 and 2023-24). Irrigation was scheduled at 50% maximum allowable depletion of available soil moisture for the SDI, SI, and FI, while RDI was operated continuously at low pressure. Soil moisture was monitored weekly using time-domain reflectometry and crop performance indicators including grain and biomass yields, harvest index (HI) and WUE were estimated following the standard protocols. Across both seasons, RDI reduced applied irrigation depth by 42-54% compared to FI and achieved the highest WUE (1.30 and 1.24 kg/m(3)), while maintaining significantly greater grain yield than FI (p < 0.05). SDI and SI also improved water productivity relative to FI however were less effective than RDI. These findings demonstrate that membrane-based RDI can substantially enhance irrigation efficiency and yield of wheat under water-scarce conditions. Future research should explore its integration with precision farming and assess economic viability for large-scale adoption. [GRAPHICS]