Core sector growth hits eight-month low

Production in three sectors—crude oil, refinery products and fertilizers—contracted in April

- Rhik Kundu

The output of eight core infrastructure sectors, which account for two-fifths of industrial output, expanded by 0.5% annually in April—the lowest in the last eight months.

It was recorded at 6.9% in April 2024, while growth in March 2025 was revised from 3.8% to 4.6%.

Only two of the eight core industries—coal and natural gas—reported a sequential rise in production during April, according to provisional data released by the ministry of commerce and industry on Tuesday.

Core sector output contributes 40.27% to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

To be sure, India's industrial production rebounded in March, recovering from a six-month low in February, according to provisional data released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) last month.