India's infrastructure output rises 7.9% in September, a record high in new series

NEW DELHI: India’s infrastructure output rose 7.9% year-on-year in September, its highest in at least two and a half years, driven by strong electricity and refinery products output, government data showed on Wednesday.

The print is the highest since April 2024, according to comparable data under a new series launched in June with 2022-23 as the base year. Revised data prior to April 2024 is not available.

The index, which tracks activity across nine sectors and makes up about a third of the country’s industrial production, expanded at a revised 5.9% in August.

Cement output rose 9.8% in September from a revised 11.7% increase in August.

Steel production increased 4.9%, compared with a revised 3.5% growth in August.

Electricity generation rose 11.4% in September, compared with a revised 13.1% increase in August.

India’s Aug industrial output jumps 8% as manufacturing output surges

Iron ore production rose 18.4% in September, compared with a rise of 5.5% in August.

Refinery products output rose 10.3% in September versus a revised 5.6% rise a month earlier.

Coal production rose 10.7% in September, compared with a fall of 3.8% in the prior month.

Crude oil output fell 1.4% in September, compared with a fall of 3.6% in August.

Fertilizer production declined 11.7% in September, following a 12.4% contraction in the prior month.

Natural gas production shrank 4.6% in September, compared with a drop of 4.9% in August.

The infrastructure output growth for April-September stood at 5.1%, compared with 2.5% in the corresponding period last year.