India’s eight core infrastructure industries saw a 1.7% growth in April compared to the previous year. Notably, sectors like cement, steel, and electricity showed positive growth during this period. Steel production increased by 6.2%, while the cement sector witnessed a robust 9.5% growth in response to significant government investments in infrastructure projects.
The electricity generation sector also saw a rise of 4.1% in April compared to the same month last year. However, coal production dropped by 8.7%, and crude oil output declined by 3.9% during the month. Natural gas production fell by 4.3%, and refinery products output decreased by 0.5% in April.
Fertilizer production took a hit with an 8.6% decline due to disruptions in raw material supply caused by the Middle East conflict. The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) monitors the performance of key sectors like coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement, and electricity, which collectively influence industrial growth in India.
