India’s infrastructure output rose by 0.5% year-on-year in May 2026, easing from an upwardly revised 1.8% in April but still marking the seventh consecutive monthly increase. Growth was underpinned by strong electricity generation (8.7% vs. 5.6% in April) and continued expansion in construction-related materials, with steel output up 5.0% (vs. 5.5%) and cement production rising 8.4% (vs. 8.2%).
By contrast, output of oil-related products contracted as the surge in global crude prices—driven by the war in Iran—and US sanctions that curtailed access to discounted Russian oil weighed on refining activity. Production of refined petroleum products declined by 8.7%, the steepest drop in more than a year. Coal output also weakened, falling by 9.3% after an 8.8% increase previously.
