India&rsquo;s eight core industries recorded a modest 0.7% year-on-year growth in May, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Friday. The growth was driven primarily by strong performances in cement and steel production.
The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) showed increased output in four key sectors &mdash; cement, steel, coal, and petroleum refinery products &mdash; while electricity generation posted a notable decline.
The cumulative ICI growth during April&ndash;May 2025-26 stood at 0.8%, compared to the same period last year. In comparison, the final growth rates for February, March, and April were 3.4%, 4.5%, and 1.0% respectively.
Sector Highlights:
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Cement: Production surged 9.2% in May, with a cumulative rise of 7.8% in April&ndash;May FY26. 
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Steel: Output rose 6.7%, taking the cumulative index up by 5.5%. 
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Coal: Increased by 2.8% in May; up 3.1% cumulatively. 
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Refinery Products: Grew 1.1% in May but declined 1.7% cumulatively. 
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<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" aria-level="1">
Electricity: Fell by 5.8% in May and down 2.2% over April&ndash;May FY26. 
</li>
</ul>
The ICI tracks the performance of eight core sectors &mdash; coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity &mdash; which together make up 40.27% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Core Industries Grow 0.7% in May, Cement and Steel Lead Rise

Eight core sectors see modest May growth; cement up 9.2%, steel up 6.7%, electricity declines

Core Industries Grow 0.7% in May, Cement and Steel Lead Rise

Eight core sectors see modest May growth; cement up 9.2%, steel up 6.7%, electricity declines

June 20, 2025 | 17:45 IST