India had lost the opening two games of the three-match series, but the home batters kept their nerve on Sunday to overhaul England's total of 126 with six balls to spare.
Smriti Mandhana (48) and Jemimah Rodrigues (29) laid the foundations of India's reply as England kept chipping away at the home side's batting to stay in the contest.
Freya Kemp (2-24) and Sophie Ecclestone (2-43) shared four wickets but Ecclerstone the latter was more expensive than usual.
Ecclestone bowled Richa Ghosh to leave India needing 11 runs from as many balls to delight the home crowd.
England might have felt they had a chance at that stage, but Amanjot Kaur struck two boundaries through the covers to see India home.
Heather Knight and Amy Jones repaired an England innings which had run into early trouble at 3-26.
Captain Knight made 52 from 42 balls, with three fours and three sixes, while Jones contributed 21 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 41.
Tail-ender Charlie Dean (16no) - who shared a record England T20 ninth-wicket partnership of 50 with Knight - and opener Sophia Dunkley (11) were the only other batters to reach double figures.
Knight departed to the penultimate ball of the innings, holing out to long-on to become the ninth batter to be dismissed.
England lost their last wicket to the final ball and India were able to boost their confidence before the two sides start their Test match on Thursday.
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