India's wholesale price inflation rose to 11.39% in September 2026 from 9.92% in August, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, reported by News On AIR on 14 October 2026. Cumulative inflation for the first half of the financial year was 9.85%, against a 0.2% contraction in the same period a year earlier.
Major groups
Every major group moved higher between August and September:
- Fuel and power: from 22.93% to 25.85%
- Manufactured products: from 8.37% to 9.76%
- Primary articles: from 7.76% to 8.67%
- Food index, covering food articles and food products: from 7.05% to 8.66%
The output producer price index rose 11.38% year on year in September. The report gives no August figure for it.
What drove the rise
The report names these commodities as drivers of September's annual inflation: mineral oils, food articles, crude petroleum and natural gas, coal and lignite, basic metals, chemicals and chemical products, textiles, rubber and plastic products, and electrical equipment. It gives no commodity-level percentage changes.
Index levels
A separate report from Indiablooms gives the all-commodities index at 112.5 in September against 110.8 in August. For the groups, it gives primary articles at 120.3 against 118.1, fuel and power at 110.5 against 108.3, and manufactured products at 110.2 against 108.8. It gives the food index weight as 24.99%.
Key numbers
- WPI inflation: 11.39% (From 9.92% in Aug)
- Fuel and power: 25.85% (From 22.93%)
- Manufactured products: 9.76% (From 8.37%)
- H1 FY27 average: 9.85% (vs −0.2% a year ago)
What boards and CFOs should note
Three points stand out for finance teams. First, fuel and power inflation of 25.85% was the highest of the groups reported, and it rose by 2.92 percentage points in one month. Second, manufactured products inflation rose by 1.39 percentage points to 9.76%, and this group covers many of the goods companies buy as inputs. Third, the half-year average of 9.85% compares with a contraction a year earlier, so the comparison base is very different.
Source: News On AIR, 14 October 2026. This is a summary of a news report, published as general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice.
This article is journalism and commentary. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security, and it is not professional advice. Read the full disclaimer.
