India’s eight core infrastructure industries recorded a 3.7 per cent year-on-year growth in December 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI), which tracks production across coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity, showed improved performance compared to December 2024, driven mainly by strong output in cement, steel, electricity, fertilisers and coal.
The eight core industries together account for 40.27 per cent of the weight in the overall Index of Industrial Production (IIP), making them a key indicator of industrial activity in the economy.
Sector-wise performance
Among individual sectors, cement production recorded the highest growth, rising by 13.5 per cent in December 2025 compared to the same month last year. Steel output increased by 6.9 per cent, while electricity generation grew by 5.3 per cent during the month.
Fertiliser production rose by 4.1 per cent, and coal output increased by 3.6 per cent, reflecting positive momentum in inputs linked to agriculture and power generation.
However, production declined in several energy-linked segments. Crude oil output fell by 5.6 per cent, natural gas production declined by 4.4 per cent, and petroleum refinery products contracted by 1.0 per cent on a year-on-year basis in December 2025.
Cumulative performance
For the period April to December 2025-26, the cumulative growth of the eight core industries stood at 2.6 per cent, according to provisional estimates.
During this period, steel production recorded cumulative growth of 9.5 per cent, while cement output rose by 8.8 per cent, indicating sustained strength in construction-related sectors.
In contrast, cumulative output declined for coal (down 0.7 per cent), crude oil (down 1.9 per cent) and natural gas (down 3.2 per cent) between April and December 2025-26.
Data status and next release
The government clarified that November 2025 data is final, while December 2025 figures are provisional and subject to revision as updated information is received from source agencies.
The next release of the Index of Eight Core Industries for January 2026 is scheduled for 20 February 2026, the ministry said.
