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Core Industries Growth Picks Up Pace in April
20 May
Summary
- Core industries grew 1.7% in April, up from March's 1.2% expansion.
- Cement, electricity, and steel output drove the recent growth.
- Coal, crude oil, and fertiliser production remained under pressure.
India's eight core industries recorded a 1.7% growth in April 2026, an improvement from the revised 1.2% expansion in March. This uptick was largely attributed to boosted output in cement, electricity, and steel sectors. Cement production saw a significant rise of 9.4%, electricity generation increased by 4.1%, and steel output grew by 6.2%.
Despite these gains, several key sectors experienced contractions. Coal production declined by 8.7%, and fertiliser output fell by 8.6%. Crude oil production was down 3.9%, while natural gas slipped 4.3%. Refinery products also registered a slight decrease of 0.5%.
These eight core industries, including coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity, represent a substantial 40.27% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). For the fiscal year 2026, the cumulative growth of these industries stood at 2.7% compared to the prior financial year.
