India Inflation Rate

Last Release

Mar 31, 2025

Actual

3.34

Units In

3.61

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

May 13, 2025

Time to Release

26 Days 13 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
12.17 Nov 2013	1.54 Jun 2017	5.88 %	2012-2025	Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI)

In 2013, the consumer price index replaced the wholesale price index (WPI) as a main measure of inflation. In India, the most important category in the consumer price index is Food and beverages (45.86 percent of total weight), of which Cereals and products (9.67 percent), Milk and products (6.61 percent), Vegetables (6.04 percent), Prepared meals, snacks, sweets, etc. (5.55 percent), Meat and fish (3.61 percent), and Oils and fats (3.56 percent). Miscellaneous accounts for 28.32 percent, of which Transport and communication (8.59 percent), health (5.89 percent), and education (4.46 percent). Housing accounts for 10.07 percent; Fuel and light for 6.84 percent; Clothing and footwear for 6.53 percent; and Pan, tobacco and intoxicants for 2.38 percent. Consumer price changes in India can be very volatile due to dependence on energy imports, the uncertain impact of monsoon rains on its large farm sector, difficulties transporting food items to market because of its poor roads and infrastructure and high fiscal deficit.

Latest Updates

India's annual inflation rate fell to 3.34% in March of 2025 from the 3.61% in the previous month, well below market expectations that it would remain relatively unchanged, to mark a fifth consecutive slowdown to the lowest inflation rate since August 2019. The drop lowered the inflation rate deeper below the Reserve Bank of India's 4% mid-point target. Inflation fell to a near four-year low for food (2.69% vs 3.75% in February), which accounts for nearly half of the Indian price basket, amid deflationary pressure for eggs, spices, vegetables, and pulses. This was enough to offset a rebound in prices of fuel and light (1.48% vs -1.33%) and faster inflation for housing (3.03% vs 2.91%). From the previous month, consumer prices fell by 0.26%, a fifth consecutive drop.