According to WPI data, food inflation stood at 1.55 percent in January, compared to a deflation of 0.43 percent in December. | Photo credit: The Hindu/SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rate was 2.51 percent in January last year, while it was 0.83 percent in the previous month (December 2025).
“The positive inflation rate in January 2026 is mainly due to the increase in prices for the production of base metals, other manufacturing products, non-food items, food items and textiles, etc.,” the Industry Ministry said in a statement.
According to WPI data, food inflation stood at 1.55 percent in January, compared to a deflation of 0.43 percent in December.
In the vegetable sector, inflation was 6.78 percent in January, compared to a deflation of 3.50 percent in December.
In case of industrial products, WPI inflation rose to 2.86 percent from 1.82 percent in December.
Inflation in the non-food items category rose to 7.58 percent in January, up from 2.95 percent in December.
Negative inflation, or deflation, continued in the fuel and energy sector, at 4.01 percent in January, down from 2.31 percent in December.
The country’s retail inflation rose to 2.75 percent in January, data released last week showed.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut the policy rate by 1.25 percentage points this current fiscal as inflation remained low.
The RBI mainly tracks retail inflation to determine benchmark interest rates. Earlier this month, the RBI maintained its key policy rate at 5.25 percent.
Published on February 16, 2026
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