Core sector activity contracts 0.4% in March 2026 on West Asia impact, worst in 19 months

Activity successful India’s 8 halfway concern sectors contracted by 0.4% successful March 2026, the archetypal period aft the warfare successful West Asia broke out, according to information released by the government. This was the poorest show for the sectors successful 19-months.

The information connected the Index of Eight Core Industries released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry connected Monday (April 20, 2026) besides showed that maturation successful the scale stood astatine 2.6% for the afloat twelvemonth 2025-26, the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic successful 2020-21.