Retail inflation rises to 6.09% in October 2026 as food inflation climbs to 8.94%
MoSPI data: CPI inflation rose to 6.09% in October 2026 from 5.54% in September, with food inflation at 8.94%. What it means for business costs.
India's retail inflation rose to 6.09% in October 2026 from 5.54% in September, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on 12 November 2026. Food inflation jumped to 8.94% from 7.74%. Rural inflation (6.63%) ran ahead of urban (5.41%). Headline inflation has risen every month since January 2026, when it was 2.74%.
The headline numbers
MoSPI released the Consumer Price Index for October 2026 on 12 November. The index uses the new base year 2024=100. Combined inflation rose to 6.09%, with rural areas at 6.63% and urban areas at 5.41%. September's figures were finalised at 5.54% combined, 6.08% rural and 4.88% urban.
| Measure | September 2026 (final) | October 2026 (provisional) |
|---|---|---|
| CPI inflation, combined | 5.54% | 6.09% |
| CPI inflation, rural | 6.08% | 6.63% |
| CPI inflation, urban | 4.88% | 5.41% |
| Food inflation (CFPI), combined | 7.74% | 8.94% |
| Food inflation, rural | 8.06% | 9.09% |
| Food inflation, urban | 7.18% | 8.68% |
A steady climb through 2026
October was the tenth straight month of higher inflation in 2026. The rise is broad but led by food: the food and beverages division rose 8.51%, while restaurants and accommodation rose 10.06% and personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods rose 10.14%. Housing, water, electricity and gas rose only 2.90% and health 2.05%.
Where prices rose fastest
Among individual items, onion prices were up 116.22% on a year earlier and garlic 60.74%. Potato (-14.24%) and cauliflower (-10.57%) were cheaper. Fuel for personal transport, part of the operation of personal transport equipment group, rose 7.52%.
Tamil Nadu (7.29%), Telangana (7.26%), Andhra Pradesh (7.25%), Madhya Pradesh (7.19%) and Odisha (7.17%) recorded the highest inflation among states. Delhi was among the lowest at 3.80%.
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Sources
Reported by the Refogo News Desk from the official sources above. General information, not legal or tax advice. Spotted an error? Email support@refogo.com; see our corrections policy.
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