India's Wholesale Inflation Climbs to 1.81% Amid Rising Price Pressures

According to provisional data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India's wholesale price inflation surged to 1.81% in January 2026, signaling an upward trend in wholesale prices. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which serves as a measure of price movements across key commodity groups, stood at 1.81% compared to the same month the previous year, confirming a positive rate of inflation for the period.

The data highlight a broad-based increase in wholesale prices, with significant contributions from primary articles and manufactured products. The index for all commodities rose from 157.0 in December to 157.8 in January, underpinning a consistent rise in price levels at the wholesale stage.

In December, the inflation rate was recorded at 0.83%, illustrating a sharper rise in prices by January. Notably, primary articles experienced an annual inflation rate of 2.21%, pointing to escalated prices for food items and raw materials. Contrary to these trends, the fuel and power sector remained deflated at -4.01%, evidencing lower prices compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, manufactured products, which dominate the WPI basket, saw an inflation rate of 2.86%, evidencing ongoing price hikes.

The food index, spanning food items within primary and manufactured categories, reflected a lower inflation rate of 1.41% in January, indicating moderate price increments relative to the prior year. On a month-to-month comparison, the WPI rose by 0.51% from December to January, maintaining an upward push in wholesale pricing.

This monthly increase underscores costlier prices in certain manufactured goods, despite price declines in some segments. Overall, the upward shift to 1.81% in wholesale inflation for January highlights intensifying price challenges at the wholesale level, prominently propelled by upward trends in manufactured products and primary articles, with continued deflationary pressure discernible in fuel and power pricing.