Stories
India Retail Inflation Surges to 5.54 Percent in September on Soaring Food Prices
- •India's retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index rose to 5.54 percent in September from 4.83 percent in August.
- •Food inflation accelerated sharply to 7.74 percent, driven by massive spikes in onion, ginger, and garlic prices.
- •Rural retail inflation increased to 6.08 percent, outpacing urban inflation which stood at 4.88 percent.
- •Tamil Nadu recorded the highest headline inflation among major states at 6.81 percent, alongside the highest food inflation at 10.62 percent.
Key Questions Answered
India's retail inflation rose to 5.54 per cent in September 2026, up from 4.83 per cent in August. Meanwhile, food inflation measured by the Consumer Food Price Index surged sharply to 7.74 per cent compared to 5.97 per cent in the previous month.
Among states with populations exceeding 50 lakh, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest headline inflation at 6.81 per cent in September 2026. Odisha followed with 6.70 per cent, Madhya Pradesh at 6.68 per cent, Telangana at 6.64 per cent, and Andhra Pradesh at 6.29 per cent.
Onion prices recorded the highest inflation among key items at 108.09 per cent in September 2026, up from 48.78 per cent in August. Other notable increases included silver jewellery at 87.80 per cent, ginger at 62.85 per cent, and garlic at 54.62 per cent year-on-year.
