India’s eight core industries grew 7.9 per cent in September, led by sharp increases in iron ore, electricity, coal and refinery output, although fertiliser and oil production declined.
India’s core sector output grew 7.9 per cent in September 2026, the fastest pace in 30 months and a clear improvement from August’s revised 5.9 per cent, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The data point to a firmer industrial backdrop, with gains spread across most of the eight key infrastructure industries that feed into the wider economy.
Iron ore was the standout performer, rising 18.4 per cent year on year, while electricity output increased 11.4 per cent and coal production advanced 10.7 per cent. Refinery products also posted double-digit growth at 10.3 per cent, with cement output up 9.8 per cent and steel production higher by 4.9 per cent, according to the official figures reported by multiple Indian media outlets.
Not every segment contributed to the improvement. Fertilisers fell 11.7 per cent, natural gas production declined 4.6 per cent and crude oil output slipped 1.4 per cent in September, the ministry said. The mix suggests stronger activity in mining, power and downstream industrial production, but weaker performance in some energy and agriculture-linked inputs.
For the first six months of the financial year, the core sector expanded 5.1 per cent, up from 2.5 per cent in the same period a year earlier, signalling a broader recovery in infrastructure-linked output. NationPress described the September reading as a 30-month high, reflecting the strength of the rebound in heavy industry and power generation.
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