India retail inflation hits 17-month high 4.38% in June

Business Jul 14, 2026

India's retail inflation just hit a 17-month high at 4.38% in June, up from 3.93% last month.

That means stuff is getting pricier, especially food (think vegetables, cereals, and dairy), with food inflation rising to 5.32%.

This spike is above the Reserve Bank of India's preferred level (4%), so it's definitely catching attention.

Rural inflation 4.74% exceeds urban 3.92%

If you're in rural India, you're seeing even steeper price hikes: rural inflation reached 4.74%, compared with urban at 3.92%.

Experts say supply issues and expensive global energy (like oil) are making things worse, plus unpredictable weather has messed with crops.

The outlook? If oil prices stay high or monsoon rains don't improve food supplies soon, prices could keep climbing for a while.