India’s consumer price inflation picked up sharply at the start of 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 2.75% year-over-year in January, up from 1.33% in December 2025. The latest reading, updated on 12 February 2026, shows that price pressures have strengthened notably on an annual basis.
Both the current and previous figures are measured as year-over-year comparisons, with each month’s inflation rate calculated against the same month a year earlier. While December 2025’s 1.33% CPI reflected relatively subdued inflation dynamics, January 2026’s 2.75% suggests a clear acceleration in consumer prices as the new year began.
The move more than doubles the pace of annual inflation within a single month’s comparison window, marking a meaningful shift in the trajectory of India’s price growth heading into 2026. Further data in the coming months will be key in assessing whether this is the start of a sustained uptrend or a temporary uptick in inflation.
