Core Industries Record Strong Growth
Core Industries Index Signals Stronger Industrial Growth in September 2026: According to the supplied report, India’s Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 7.9% year-on-year in September 2026, compared with revised growth of 5.9% in August 2026. Cumulative growth during April–September 2026 reached 5.1%, up from 2.5% in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
The improvement was led by iron ore, electricity, coal and refinery products. However, crude oil, natural gas and fertilisers recorded contractions, indicating uneven performance across industrial sectors.
Sector-Wise Performance
Iron ore recorded the highest reported growth at 18.4%, followed by electricity at 11.4%, coal at 10.7% and refinery products at 10.3%. Cement production grew by 9.8%, while steel increased by 4.9%.
In contrast, crude oil contracted by 1.4%, natural gas by 4.6% and fertilisers by 11.7%. These figures are reported year-on-year changes and reflect differences in production trends across industries.
| Industry | Growth in September 2026 |
| Iron ore | 18.4% |
| Electricity | 11.4% |
| Coal | 10.7% |
| Refinery products | 10.3% |
| Cement | 9.8% |
| Steel | 4.9% |
| Crude oil | -1.4% |
| Natural gas | -4.6% |
| Fertilisers | -11.7% |
| Overall ICI | 7.9% |
Understanding the Index of Eight Core Industries
The ICI measures changes in production across eight major infrastructure-linked industries that play an important role in India’s industrial economy. It is compiled and released by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The eight industries are coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity. Together, they represent a significant part of industrial production and provide an early indication of economic activity.
Static GK fact: The ICI is an important indicator for monitoring industrial performance and is also relevant to understanding movements in the broader Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Sector Weights and Economic Significance
The supplied dataset lists electricity as the largest-weighted sector at 30.932%, followed by refinery products at 22.572% and steel at 17.584%. Changes in heavily weighted sectors can have a substantial influence on the overall index.
The report also lists iron ore separately, with a weight of 4.905%. However, the standard ICI covers eight industries, and iron ore is not a separate component in the conventional eight-industry classification. The supplied sector list and weights should therefore be checked against the official release before being used as definitive index methodology.
Static GK Tip: DPIIT operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is responsible for promoting industrial development and internal trade in India.
Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table
Core Industries Index Signals Stronger Industrial Growth in September 2026:
| Fact | Detail |
| Index | Index of Eight Core Industries |
| September 2026 growth | 7.9% year-on-year, according to the supplied report |
| August 2026 growth | Revised to 5.9% |
| April–September 2026 growth | 5.1% |
| Highest reported sector growth | Iron ore at 18.4% |
| Lowest reported sector growth | Fertilisers at -11.7% |
| Releasing office | Office of the Economic Adviser |
| Department | DPIIT |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Number of core industries | Eight |
| Main purpose | Track production trends in key industrial sectors |
