New Delhi, February 16: The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation rate in India stood at 1.81% year-on-year in January, as reported by the Minister of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
According to the official statement, the rise in inflation during January was attributed to an increase in the prices of basic metals, as well as the costs of manufacturing and non-food products, food items, and textiles.
The food index, which includes ‘food items’ from the primary goods group and ‘food products’ from the manufactured goods group, decreased from 196.0 in December 2025 to 194.2 in January 2026. The wholesale inflation rate for January increased to 1.41% compared to the same month last year.
The manufacturing group holds a weight of 64.23% in the WPI, which saw a month-on-month increase of 1.3%. Among the 22 manufactured products, prices rose in 19 groups, while three groups recorded a decline. Significant groups that experienced month-on-month price increases included basic metal manufacturing, food products, textiles, other manufacturing, and electrical equipment.
Items that saw a decrease in prices included the manufacturing of medicines, medicinal chemicals, vegetable products, machinery and equipment, and furniture, which were lower in January 2026 compared to December 2025.
In India, the all-India consumer price index (CPI) based retail inflation rate was 2.75% year-on-year in January 2026. This was the first data point following a change in the base year, which has been updated to 2024 from the previous base year of 2012. The retail inflation rate in December was 1.33%, based on the old base year of 2012.
According to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the retail inflation rate in rural areas was 2.73%, while in urban areas it was 2.77%. The food inflation rate in January was recorded at 2.13%, with 1.96% in rural areas and 2.44% in urban areas.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.