14 October,2026 01:17 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. File pic.
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation climbed to 11.39 per cent in September, as against 9.92 per cent in August, as per the provisional data released by the government on Wednesday.
The higher WPI inflation in September was on account of rising food prices, and increased cost of manufactured items, and fuel and power.
"Across groups, Mineral Oils (containing Petroleum Products), Food Articles, Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas, Coal and Lignite, Manufacture of Basic Metals, Manufacture of Chemicals and Chemical Products, Manufacture of Textiles, Manufacture of Rubber and Plastic Products, and Manufacture of Electrical Equipment have been drivers of WPI inflation in September 2026," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said.
Wholesale food prices increased to 8.66 per cent in September from 7.05 per cent in August, while in the fuel and power basket, it rose to 25.85 per cent in September. The fuel and power inflation was at 22.93 per cent in August.
In manufactured items, WPI inflation was at a series high of 9.76 per cent, according to news agency PTI. It was 8.37 per cent in August.
The WPI has largely shown an increasing trend since the beginning of this fiscal year, as the crude oil prices were at an elevated level due to the US-Iran conflict. India is the third largest importer and consumer of crude oil and the elevated crude and fertiliser costs have a spillover effect on food prices.
The government said the final index for the month of July 2026 remains unchanged at 110.0 as compared to the provisional index.
"Accordingly, the WPI inflation rate for July 2026 also remains unchanged at 9.78 per cent (final)," it said.
The retail inflation or consumer price index (CPI) inflation rose to a 23-month high of 5.54 per cent in September driven by a sharp rise in food prices. It was at 4.83 per cent in August.
The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) monetary policy committee, last week had hiked benchmark policy rates by 25 bps to 5.50 per cent to contain the inflationary pressures, and Governor Sanjay Malhotra had said, "It is clear that inflation and its outlook are not benign as they were last year."
The apex bank had raised the forecast for the retail inflation for the current fiscal year to 5.2 per cent from its earlier estimate of 5 per cent, amid elevated crude oil prices and a weaker monsoon season.
"The near-term outlook on inflation points towards continued pressures from supply side, on account of the deficient Southwest monsoon, El Nino conditions and high volatility in international oil prices. Price pressures are increasingly becoming visible across a range of commodities within the food component, apart from oil," Malhotra had said.
(With inputs from PTI)
