India’s core sector grows by 3.7% in December 2025 led by cement, fertilizers and coal

India’s combined Index of Eight Core Industries rose by 3.7 per cent in December 2025 compared with December 2024, supported by higher production in cement, steel, electricity, fertilizers and coal, the Commerce & Industry Ministry said on Tuesday.

On a cumulative basis, the core sector expanded by 2.6 per cent during April to December 2025-26 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting moderate overall growth amid mixed sectoral trends.

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Coal production increased by 3.6 per cent in December 2025 on a year-on-year basis, though its cumulative output declined by 0.7 per cent during April–December.

Crude oil output fell by 5.6 per cent in December, with cumulative production down 1.9 per cent, while natural gas production declined by 4.4 per cent, leading to a cumulative contraction of 3.2 per cent.

Petroleum refinery products recorded a marginal 1 per cent decline in December output, but posted a 0.1 per cent increase cumulatively during April–December.

Fertiliser production rose by 4.1 per cent in December and grew 1.7 per cent on a cumulative basis.

Steel output registered a strong 6.9 per cent growth in December, pushing cumulative growth to 9.5 per cent during the first nine months of 2025-26. Cement production saw the sharpest rise, surging 13.5 per cent in December, with cumulative growth reaching 8.8 per cent.

Electricity generation increased by 5.3 per cent year-on-year in December, while cumulative growth during April–December stood at 0.3 per cent, contributing to the overall expansion of the core sector.