India's core infrastructure output rose 5.4% in July 2026, easing

Business Aug 20, 2026

India's core infrastructure output grew by 5.4% in July 2026, easing off from June's 6%.

This update comes from the refreshed Index of Core Industries (ICI), which now uses a more recent base year to track nine key sectors.

Iron ore really stood out with a huge 29.5% jump, while cement, electricity, and coal also grew steadily.

But drops in natural gas, crude oil, and fertilizer held back overall gains.

April-July output up 4.3% year-on-year

Even with July's slowdown, total infrastructure output for April-July is up by 4.3%, a clear improvement over last year's sluggish 1.5%.

Since the ICI reflects how India's main industries are doing, these numbers are a good sign for the country's economic momentum this year.