Infrastructure production: Eight core sectors grow by 1.8% in November; cement and steel increase momentum while energy decreases – The Times of India

Eight core infrastructure sectors recorded modest expansion in November 2025, with total output rising 1.8% year-on-year, supported by strong growth in cement, steel, fertilizers and coal, official data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry showed.The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI), which makes up 40.27% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), improved from a marginal contraction of 0.1% recorded in October 2025. Cumulative growth in April-November 2025-26 was 2.4% on a provisional basis.Cement came out on top this month, up sharply by 14.5% from November last year, while steel production increased by 6.1%. Fertilizer production grew by 5.6% and coal production by 2.1%, providing the main impetus for the overall growth of the core sector.

In contrast, the energy-related segments continued to weigh on performance. Crude oil production fell 3.2% year-on-year, while natural gas production fell 2.5%. Electricity generation also shrank by 2.2% during the month. Petroleum refinery products saw a marginal decline of 0.9%.On a cumulative basis, steel production grew by 9.7% between April and November, while cement production grew by 8.2%. Fertilizers posted an increase of 1.3% and refinery products rose 0.2% in the same period. Coal, crude oil, natural gas and electricity showed cumulative declines.The eight core industries include coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity, and are widely regarded as key indicators of industrial and infrastructure activities in the economy, the ministry said. The index is released every month.