India’s Index of Eight Core Industries increased by 3.7% in December 2025 compared with December 2024, showing steady improvement in key industrial sectors.
What is the Index of Eight Core Industries
The Index of Eight Core Industries tracks production performance across eight critical sectors of the Indian economy. These industries together account for 40.27% of the total weight of the Index of Industrial Production.
The eight core industries are Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity.
December 2025 Performance Snapshot
Five sectors recorded positive growth in December 2025. Strong expansion in cement and steel helped offset weakness in crude oil and natural gas production.
- Cement production jumped sharply
- Steel output remained strong
- Electricity generation increased steadily
- Coal and fertilizers posted moderate gains
Sector Wise Growth Details
Coal Production
Coal output increased by 3.6% in December 2025. However, cumulative production from April to December 2025 declined by 0.7% compared to last year.
Crude Oil Production
Crude oil production declined by 5.6% in December 2025. The cumulative decline for April to December 2025 stands at 1.9%.
Natural Gas Production
Natural gas output fell by 4.4% in December 2025. Cumulative production dropped by 3.2% during April to December 2025.
Petroleum Refinery Products
Refinery production slipped by 1.0% in December 2025. On a cumulative basis, refinery output grew marginally by 0.1%.
Fertilizer Production
Fertilizer production rose by 4.1% in December 2025. Cumulative growth for the financial year so far stands at 1.7%.
Steel Production
Steel production increased by a strong 6.9% in December 2025. Cumulative growth reached 9.5%, reflecting robust demand.
Cement Production
Cement output surged by 13.5% in December 2025. Cumulative growth of 8.8% highlights continued momentum in infrastructure and construction.
Electricity Generation
Electricity generation grew by 5.3% in December 2025. Cumulative growth remained modest at 0.3%.
November 2025 Revision and Year To Date Trend
The final growth rate of the Index of Eight Core Industries for November 2025 was revised to 2.1%.
For the period from April to December 2025, the cumulative growth of the core industries stood at 2.6%, indicating moderate but stable industrial expansion.
What This Means for the Indian Economy
Strong growth in cement and steel points to healthy infrastructure activity and construction demand. Weakness in crude oil and natural gas continues to weigh on the energy segment.
Overall, the December data suggests that India’s industrial recovery remains intact, supported by manufacturing and power demand.
Key Takeaway
India’s core sector growth of 3.7% in December 2025 reflects balanced industrial momentum. Infrastructure linked sectors remain the key growth drivers, while energy production needs close monitoring in the coming months.
Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
