India's core industrial output rises 5% in June

India's core industrial output accelerated to a five-month high in June, according to official data released on Monday, July 20, 2026. The growth of 5% year-on-year, up from 3.2% in May, was driven by robust increases in cement, electricity, and iron ore production. The figures mark the inaugural release of a revised Index of Core Industries, which now uses 2022-23 as its base year and expands the basket of tracked sectors from eight to nine with the inclusion of iron ore.

The Index of Core Industries, which has a combined weight of 40.27% in the broader Index of Industrial Production, registered cumulative growth of 3.6% for the April-June quarter, compared to 1% growth in the same period last year. The fastest growth in June was recorded by the newly added iron ore sector, which surged 43.9%. Cement and electricity output each grew by 9.8%, while steel production rose 4.6% and coal output increased 1.4%.

The revised series introduces several methodological changes. Beyond adding iron ore due to its intensive use in industrial production, the steel index will now be compiled using gross production data. The government also refined the coal index to include only raw coal,...