India’s wholesale price-based inflation moved into positive territory in December 2025, with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising to 0.83 per cent year-on-year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.
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India’s wholesale price-based inflation moved into positive territory in December 2025, with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising to 0.83 per cent year-on-year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.
This marks a reversal from the deflationary trend seen in the previous two months.
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The uptick in inflation was primarily driven by higher prices in manufactured products, minerals, machinery and equipment, food products, and textiles, the ministry said.
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The WPI for all commodities rose to 157.0 in December, up from 155.9 in November, reflecting a month-on-month increase of 0.71 per cent.
Among major components, manufactured products, which carry the highest weight of 64.23 per cent in the index, recorded an annual inflation of 1.82 per cent in December, compared to 1.33 per cent in November.
Thirteen out of 22 manufacturing groups saw a rise in prices, notably in basic metals, chemicals, textiles, and other manufacturing segments.
Primary articles registered a marginal annual inflation of 0.21 per cent, recovering sharply from a contraction of 2.93 per cent in November.
Prices of non-food articles, minerals, and food articles contributed to the increase, even as crude petroleum and natural gas prices declined on a monthly basis.
In contrast, the fuel and power segment continued to remain in deflationary territory, with inflation at –2.31 per cent year-on-year, despite a month-on-month rise of 1.23 per cent due to higher electricity, coal, and mineral oil prices.
The WPI Food Index rose from 195.0 in November to 196.0 in December, with food inflation easing to 0.00 per cent, compared to –2.60 per cent in the previous month, indicating stabilisation in food prices at the wholesale level.
The December WPI figures are provisional and are based on a weighted response rate of 82.7 per cent, while the final index for October 2025 pegged inflation at –1.02 per cent. The ministry said revisions will be made as per the established policy.
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