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A field study on sole, mixed, intercropping and strip cropping of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] and clusterbean [Cyanopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] was conducted to identify the best suitable cropping system for the arid region. Pearl millet and clusterbean grown in alternate row (1:1) gave mean combined dry matter yields at par with sole cropping of pearl millet but significantly higher than mixed, intercropping and strip cropping. The increase was in the order of 42 to 194%. The 1:1 system also produced maximum grain yield among different intercropping systems. Better performance of 1:1 system was attributed to creation of more border rows that resulted in the least influence by shorter component crop through the formation of a two tier system. The highest gross (Rs. 7512 ha(-1)) and net (Rs. 5855 ha(-1)) returns accrued from alternate row intercropping system (1:1), followed by sole cropping of pearl millet.