WPI inflation rises to 9.87% in June; minerals, food items see price spike
India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation rose to 9.87% in June 2026, driven largely by increased costs in food and mineral oils. The government attributes this spike to the ongoing crisis in West Asia and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters
Rising wholesale inflation impacts consumer prices and complicates the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy decisions regarding interest rates.
Wholesale price inflation shot up to 9.87% in June, from 9.68% in May, led by a sharp spike in prices of food and non-food items.
The sharp rise in WPI inflation reflects the impact of the West Asia crisis, the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which the majority of crude oil is imported into India, and its spillover effect on food prices.
"Mineral Oils [containing Petroleum Products], Food Articles, Manufacture of Basic Metals, and Manufacture of Chemicals and Chemical Products have been major drivers of WPI inflation in June 2026," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said while releasing the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data.
The base year for calculating WPI is 2022-23. Wholesale inflation in fuel and power was 27.41% in June, as against 30.33% in May, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) showed.
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