India’s wholesale price inflation ticked higher in February 2026, with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising 2.13% year-on-year, up from 1.81% in January 2026. The latest data, updated on 16 March 2026, show a continued firming in price pressures at the wholesale level on an annual comparison basis.
The year-over-year measure compares February 2026 wholesale prices to those in February 2025, while the previous reading compared January 2026 to January 2025. The acceleration from 1.81% to 2.13% suggests that underlying cost pressures in the production and distribution chain are gradually building, which could eventually filter through to consumer prices and influence monetary policy expectations.
While the increase remains moderate by historical standards, the upward trend in WPI inflation will be closely watched by policymakers and market participants for signs of whether wholesale price gains are stabilizing or entering a more sustained uptrend over the coming months.
