PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES OF INDEX OF CORE INDUSTRIES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2026, AND FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2026 WITH BASE YEAR 2022-23

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry released the provisional estimates of the Index of Core Industries (ICI) for August 2026, alongside the final index for July 2026, with the base year 2022-23. The provisional overall ICI grew by 4.8 per cent year-on-year in August 2026, which is slightly lower than the 5.0 per cent growth recorded in July 2026. Cement, electricity, iron ore, steel, and refinery products registered year-on-year growth, while coal, natural gas, crude oil, and fertilizers witnessed negative growth. Iron ore, electricity, and cement served as major drivers of overall growth during recent months, and the cumulative growth rate for April-August 2026 stood at 4.3 per cent.