India’s core sector growth rose 5.4% in July 2026, supported by higher production of coal, refinery products, cement, electricity and iron ore.
The nine key infrastructure sectors had recorded 3.2% growth in July 2025. Growth stood at 6% in June 2026.
New Base Year and Expanded Core Sector Index
The government began releasing the data with a revised base year of 2022-23 from June 2026. This replaces the earlier base year of 2011-12.
Iron ore has also been added to the index. This has increased the number of core sectors from eight to nine.
The revised index aims to provide a more updated view of infrastructure and industrial activity.
Crude Oil and Natural Gas Output Declines
While several sectors recorded higher production, crude oil, natural gas and fertilisers reported declines in July.
The mixed performance indicates that growth remained concentrated in key industrial and infrastructure segments.
Core Sector Growth Improves in April-July
During April-July 2026-27, the nine core sectors recorded cumulative growth of 4.3%.
This compares with growth of 1.5% during the corresponding period of the previous year.
The stronger cumulative performance points to improved momentum across major infrastructure and industrial sectors during the first four months of the financial year.
