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India's Core Industries Grow 2.3% in Feb, Cement & Steel Lead Surge

India's eight core infrastructure industries registered a growth of 2.3 per cent in February compared to the same month last year. Key drivers were robust growth in cement and steel production, clocking 9.3% and 7.2% respectively, fueled by government investment in infrastructure projects. Fertiliser and coal production also saw positive growth, while crude oil, natural gas, and refinery output declined during the month. The cumulative growth rate for the April-February period of 2025-26 stands at 2.9 per cent.

Key Points: India's Core Infrastructure Growth Hits 2.3% in February

  • Core sector grows 2.3% in Feb
  • Cement output jumps 9.3%
  • Steel production rises 7.2%
  • Fertiliser and coal also post growth
  • Crude oil and natural gas output decline
2 min read

India's infra industries post 2.3 per cent growth in February

India's eight core industries grew 2.3% in Feb. Cement & steel surged over 9% and 7% respectively, driven by government infrastructure spending.

"demand for these products surged due to large government investments in big-ticket infrastructure projects"

New Delhi, March 20

The combined index of India's eight core infrastructure industries increased by 2.3 per cent in February this year compared to the corresponding figure for the same month of the previous year, according to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday.

The production of cement, steel, fertilisers, coal, and electricity recorded positive growth in February.

Steel production recorded a 7.2 per cent increase in February over the same month of the previous year, while the cement sector clocked a robust 9.3 per cent growth during the month as demand for these products surged due to large government investments in big-ticket infrastructure projects.

Coal production increased by 2.3 per cent in February over the same month of the previous year, while electricity generation rose by 0.5 per cent.

Fertiliser production posted a 3.4 per cent growth during the month as rabi sowing has recorded an increase, and farm incomes have risen on the back of a better performance of the agricultural sector.

However, crude oil and natural gas production, as well as petroleum refinery production, recorded a decline during February as compared to the index in the same month last year. While the decline in crude production is due to the ageing of ONGC and Oil India oilfields, petroleum refinery production is governed by the demand for petro goods and stocks that are available for marketing with the oil companies.

The final growth rate of the index of eight core industries for January 2026 was observed at 4.7 per cent. The cumulative growth rate of the index during April to February, 2025-26, now works out to 2.9 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of last year.

The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) measures the combined and individual performance of production of eight core industries -- coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity. The eight core industries comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and are a good indicator of the overall industrial growth in the economy.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Positive growth in fertilisers is a very good sign for our farmers. If rabi sowing is up and farm incomes are better, it means the rural economy is also getting a boost. Hope this continues.
R
Rohit P
The decline in crude oil and natural gas is a bit worrying. We are still too dependent on imports for our energy needs. We need faster exploration and more investment in renewables to secure our future.
S
Sarah B
As someone working in construction, I can confirm the demand for materials is very high. The 2.3% overall growth seems modest, but the growth in key sectors like steel and cement tells the real story of development on the ground.
V
Vikram M
While the growth is positive, 2.3% in February is lower than January's 4.7%. We need consistent, higher growth in these core sectors to achieve our $5 trillion economy goal. The government must address the bottlenecks in oil and gas.
K
Kavya N
Electricity generation growth at just 0.5% is surprisingly low. With summer approaching, we need to ensure power supply is robust. Hope the focus on renewable energy starts showing stronger results soon.

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