EconomyWednesday, 17 June 2026·The Hindu - Economy
WPI inflation hits 9.7% in May 2026; new PPI series launched
India’s wholesale inflation rose to 9.7% in May 2026, and the Commerce Ministry launched new PPI series with 2022-23 as the base year.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In May 2026, India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation rose to 9.7%, while the Ministry of Commerce and Industry released a new WPI series with 2022-23 as the base year and introduced the first Output PPI, Input PPI and Service PPI series.
Key specifics
- The new WPI series uses 2022-23 as the base year and widens the goods basket.
- Historical comparison beyond April 2024 is not available under the revised WPI series.
- The government said the Producer Price Index (PPI) will replace WPI in 5 years.
- Service PPI covers 7 services: Banking, Securities Transaction, Insurance, Management of Pension Funds, Railways, Passenger Air and Telecom.
- Crude oil and natural gas inflation jumped to 61.5% in May 2026, while mineral oils inflation rose to 49.8%.
Exam lens
TNPSC economy and indices question focus: WPI, PPI, base year, service sectors. One-liner: The May 2026 WPI print of 9.7% was fuel-led, and the Commerce Ministry began the transition from WPI to PPI with a 5-year window.