India’s wholesale inflation rises to 1.81% in January as manufacturing prices surge

The rate was 0.83% in the same month last year.

The government said the rate hike is caused by the rise in prices of manufacture of basic metals, other manufacturing, non-food articles, food articles and textiles etc.

The month over month change in WPI for the month of January, 2026 stood at 0.51% as compared to December, 2025.

Month-over-Month Change in Major Groups of WPI:

Primary Articles (Weight 22.62%): - The index for this major group decreased by 0.15 % from 194.2 (provisional) for the month of December, 2025 to 193.9 (provisional) in January, 2026. The price of food articles (-1.79%) and minerals (-0.47%) decreased in January, 2026 as compared to December, 2025. The Price of non-food articles (5.32%) and Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas (4.27%) increased in January, 2026 as compared to December, 2025.

Fuel and Power (Weight 13.15%): - The index for this major group decreased by 1.62% from 148.3 (provisional) for the month of December, 2025 to 145.9 (provisional) in January, 2026. The price of electricity (-2.91%) and mineral oils (-1.68%) decreased in January, 2026 as compared to December, 2025. The Price of coal (0.73%) increased in January, 2026 as compared to December, 2025.

Manufactured Products (Weight 64.23%): - The index for this major group increased by 1.30% from 145.6 (provisional) for the month of December, 2025 to 147.5 (provisional) in January, 2026. Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for manufactured products, 19 groups witnessed an increase in prices and 3 groups witnessed a decrease in prices.

Some of the important groups that showed month-over-month increase in prices were manufacture of basic metals; food products; textiles; other manufacturing and electrical equipment etc. some of the groups that witnessed a decrease in prices were manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products; machinery and equipment and furniture in January, 2026 as compared to December, 2025.

WPI Food Index (Weight 24.38%): The Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and 'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group have decreased from 196.0 in December, 2025 to 194.2 in January, 2026. The rate of inflation (Y-o-Y) based on WPI Food Index increased to 1.41% in January, 2026.

For the month of November, 2025, the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for 'All Commodities' stood at 156.2 and (-) 0.13% respectively.