“Inflation in food articles was 1.55 per cent in January as against deflation of 0.43 per cent in December. Similarly, inflation was 6.78 per cent in January in vegetables, as against deflation of 3.50 per cent in December. In the case of manufactured products, WPI inflation inched up to 2.86 per cent, as against 1.82 per cent in December,” the data showed
New Delhi: India’s wholesale price index or WPI quickened up to a nine-month high of 1.81 per cent in January this year from 0.83 per cent in December 2025. The positive inflation rate in the same month was primarily driven by higher prices in the manufacture of basic metals, other manufactured products, non-food articles, food articles and textiles, the government data showed on Monday.
As per the data, the WPI-based inflation was 2.51 per cent in January last year, while in the previous month (December 2025), it was 0.83 per cent. “Positive rate of inflation in January 2026 is primarily due to increase in prices of manufacture of basic metals, other manufacturing, non-food articles, food articles, and textiles, etc,” the industry ministry said in a statement.
“Inflation in food articles was 1.55 per cent in January as against deflation of 0.43 per cent in December. Similarly, inflation was 6.78 per cent in January in vegetables, as against deflation of 3.50 per cent in December. In the case of manufactured products, WPI inflation inched up to 2.86 per cent, as against 1.82 per cent in December,” the data showed.
Experts, however, believe that food inflation may play a major key to spike further in the coming months. “Going forward, food inflation is set to harden further as the effect of an unfavourable base intensifies. The WPI food prints had eased from 8.9 per cent in December 2024 to 1.9 per cent in May 2025, and turned to a deflation thereafter, printing at -5.0 per cent in October 2025,” said Rahul Agrawal, senior economist, ICRA Ltd.
“Besides, global commodity prices have continued to rise in February 2026, which along with the lagged impact of the depreciation pressure in the USD/INR pair over the last few months is likely to continue to weigh on the landed cost of imports. Overall, we expect the WPI inflation to inch up further to 2.0-2.2 per cent in February 2026,” Agrawal said.
