Eight Core Industries
Shock slowdown: India’s core sector growth falls to 7-month low at 0.5%
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) rose by 0.5 per cent (provisional) in May 2026 compared to the same month last year, according to government data released on Tuesday.
The Eight Core Industries account for 40.27 per cent of the weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), making them a key indicator of overall industrial activity in the country.
The final growth rate of the ICI for April 2026 was recorded at 1.8 per cent, while the cumulative growth for the April–May 2026-27 period stands at 1.1 per cent (provisional), compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Sector-wise Performance
Coal (weight: 10.33%)
Coal production declined by 9.3 per cent in May 2026 compared to May 2025. The cumulative index also fell by 9.1 per cent during April–May 2026-27 over the same period last year.
Crude Oil (weight: 8.98%)
Crude oil production decreased by 4.6 per cent in May 2026, with a cumulative decline of 4.2 per cent during April–May 2026-27.
Natural Gas (weight: 6.88%)
Natural gas output fell by 4.9 per cent in May 2026, while the cumulative index declined by 4.5 per cent.
Petroleum Refinery Products (weight: 28.04%)
Refinery production dropped by 8.7 per cent in May 2026, with a cumulative decline of 4.7 per cent over the corresponding period.
Fertilizers (weight: 2.63%)
Fertiliser production declined marginally by 0.9 per cent in May 2026. The cumulative index also fell by 4.5 per cent.
Steel (weight: 17.92%)
Steel production increased by 5 per cent in May 2026, with cumulative growth of 5.2 per cent during April–May 2026-27.
Cement (weight: 5.37%)
Cement production rose sharply by 8.4 per cent in May 2026, with cumulative growth of 8.3 per cent.
Electricity (weight: 19.85%)
Electricity generation increased by 8.7 per cent in May 2026, with cumulative growth of 7.1 per cent during the period.
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