India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to 9.92 per cent year-on-year in August 2026, compared with 9.78 per cent in July, according to provisional estimates released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
The All Commodities WPI stood at 110.8 in August, up from 110.0 in July. The data are based on the new WPI series with 2022-23 as the base year.
Among the three major groups, inflation in Primary Articles eased to 7.76 per cent in August from 8.52 per cent in July. Fuel and Power inflation, however, increased to 22.93 per cent from 20.05 per cent, while inflation in Manufactured Products edged up to 8.37 per cent from 8.29 per cent.
The index for Primary Articles rose to 118.1 in August from 117.2 in July. The Fuel and Power index increased to 108.3 from 105.4, while the Manufactured Products index rose to 108.8 from 108.4.
According to the release, mineral oils containing petroleum products, food articles, manufacture of food products, manufacture of basic metals, non-food articles, and manufacture of chemicals and chemical products were the major drivers of wholesale inflation during the month.
The WPI Food Index, which comprises Food Articles under Primary Articles and Manufacture of Food Products under Manufactured Products, recorded year-on-year inflation of 7.05 per cent in August, compared with 6.65 per cent in July.
Within Primary Articles, food articles inflation stood at 5.67 per cent in August, up from 5.44 per cent in July, while non-food articles inflation eased to 14.79 per cent from 17.66 per cent. Inflation in minerals declined to 8.24 per cent from 13.28 per cent.
Within Fuel and Power, mineral oils inflation rose to 38.48 per cent in August from 32.40 per cent in July. Inflation in crude petroleum and natural gas increased to 34.41 per cent from 26.99 per cent. Electricity recorded deflation of 1.73 per cent, against inflation of 1.09 per cent in July.
Among manufactured products, inflation in the manufacture of food products increased to 9.65 per cent from 8.89 per cent, while chemicals and chemical products inflation rose to 14.30 per cent from 13.12 per cent. Basic metals inflation moderated to 10.88 per cent from 12.56 per cent.
The government also revised the final WPI index for June 2026 to 110.3 from the provisional estimate of 110.2. Consequently, the June inflation rate was revised to 9.97 per cent from the provisional estimate of 9.87 per cent. The provisional WPI estimate for August was compiled with a weighted response rate of 84.4 per cent.
