India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) Inflation Rises to 8.3% in April 2026
India's WPI inflation rose to a provisional 8.3% in April 2026, driven mainly by costlier mineral oils, crude petroleum, metals and manufactured products. The WPI is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser.
India's annual inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) stood at 8.3 per cent in April 2026, according to provisional figures. The WPI measures the change in prices of goods sold in bulk by wholesalers, before they reach retail shops.
The rise in wholesale inflation was mainly caused by higher prices of mineral oils, crude petroleum, natural gas, basic metals and manufactured products. The fuel and power group saw an especially sharp increase because of costlier mineral oils, while primary articles also faced strong upward pressure.
The WPI is released every month by the Office of the Economic Adviser, which works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Among the different groups in the WPI basket, manufactured products carry the highest weight, so changes in their prices have a big effect on the overall index.
Wholesale inflation is watched closely because high wholesale prices often pass on to consumers later, affecting the cost of living. For exam aspirants, it is useful to remember that WPI is different from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which the RBI uses to set its monetary policy.
Key Points to Remember
- WPI inflation was 8.3% (provisional) in April 2026
- Driven by mineral oils, crude petroleum, natural gas, basic metals, manufactured products
- Fuel and power group saw a sharp rise
- WPI released monthly by the Office of the Economic Adviser (Ministry of Commerce and Industry)
- Manufactured products carry the highest weight in the WPI basket
- WPI differs from CPI; the RBI uses CPI for monetary policy
Exam Relevance
Relevant for UPSC Prelims (Economy — inflation, price indices), Banking exams (RBI, monetary policy) and SSC CGL (General Awareness).
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