New Delhi, Jan 20 (.) India’s core industrial sectors registered a solid expansion in December 2025, with overall growth of 3.7 per cent compared to the same month last year, a Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Tuesday here.
The Index of Eight Core Industries – which includes sectors such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity – serves as a key indicator of industrial activity.
Among major sectors, cement recorded the highest increase in production at 13.5 per cent, reflecting robust construction demand. Steel output rose by 6.9 per cent, while electricity generation increased by 5.3 per cent. Fertiliser production also registered growth of 4.1 per cent, supporting the agriculture sector inputs.
Energy-related segments showed mixed performance. Coal production grew by 3.6 per cent, but crude oil output declined by 5.6 per cent, natural gas by 4.4 per cent, and refinery products by 1.0 per cent.
For the nine months from April to December 2025-26, the combined index of core industries recorded an overall increase of 2.6 per cent, indicating sustained industrial momentum through most of the year.
The latest data highlights continued strength in construction-linked sectors and power generation, even as certain energy commodities remain under pressure.
. SAS PRP