New Delhi: The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) remained unchanged at 162.4 in October, matching the level recorded in the same month last year, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry reported that fertiliser, steel, cement and petroleum refinery products registered growth during the month.
Steel output rose 6.7 per cent in October on the back of rising demand from major government-led infrastructure projects. For the April–October period of 2025–26, steel production posted a strong cumulative growth of 10.3 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.
Cement production expanded 5.3 per cent year-on-year in October, supported by increased activity in large construction and infrastructure works. Its cumulative index grew 7.3 per cent in the first seven months of the financial year.
Fertiliser output increased by 7.4 per cent in October, while cumulative growth between April and October stood at 0.7 per cent over the previous year.
Petroleum refinery products — including petrol, diesel and LPG — recorded a 4.6 per cent rise in October. In contrast, crude oil production dipped 1.2 per cent and natural gas output dropped 5 per cent during the same month. Coal production also fell sharply, declining 8.5 per cent.
Electricity generation contracted by 7.6 per cent year-on-year in October. The cumulative index for the sector slipped 0.1 per cent between April and October.
The ministry also revised the final growth rate for September’s core sector index from 3 per cent to 3.3 per cent. Overall, the cumulative ICI growth for April–October 2025–26 stands at 2.5 per cent over the same period last year.
The ICI tracks the performance of eight key industries — coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity — which together account for 40.27 per cent of the weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
