India WPI October 2026: Release Date and What to Watch
The India WPI October 2026 release is scheduled for Monday, November 16. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry says the October Wholesale Price Index will be published alongside the Output Producer Price Index and the trial Input Producer Price Index. October’s wholesale inflation figure is still pending as of November 15.
The September release gives the comparison to start with. Wholesale inflation was provisionally 11.39% year on year in September, up from 9.92% in August. The all-commodities index was 112.5 in September and 110.8 in August. These figures describe different comparisons, so it helps to record both the rate and the index level when the next release arrives.
How to read the India WPI October 2026 tables
Start with the all-commodities rate, then check primary articles, fuel and power, and manufactured products separately. In September, the three groups showed year-on-year rates of 8.67%, 25.85% and 9.76%, respectively. A business can use the broad index to see where wholesale prices are moving and the group tables to find the series closest to what it buys or sells.
The month and the comparison period matter. A year-on-year rate compares the reference month with the same month a year earlier. To calculate a month-to-month change, use two consecutive index levels. Dividing September’s 112.5 by August’s 110.8 and subtracting one gives an increase of about 1.5% using the published rounded figures. The 11.39% headline uses a different starting point.
Read the status on the table, too. The department labels its latest estimate provisional and may issue a final figure later. If you record a time series in a spreadsheet, keep the reference month and the release date in separate columns. Mark provisional values so you can replace them with the final figures when they arrive.
What the producer price indices add
The output index is designed to track prices producers receive for their output. The trial input index looks at prices associated with inputs producers use. This distinction matters when a manufacturer is paying more for materials while keeping its selling price steady. One series can rise faster than the other because they measure prices at different points in production.
Look for the series that fits the decision. A purchaser reviewing packaging invoices might compare the relevant material categories and track the supplier’s unit prices. A business reviewing its own pricing might find output prices a closer comparison. Each still needs its own invoices or sales figures to see how far its experience differs from the published index.
How WPI relates to October’s retail inflation
The Consumer Price Index tracks the prices households face. Its October reading was 6.09% year on year, and the separate consumer food measure was 8.94%. Those figures are already available in the consumer release. The wholesale release uses a different basket and a 2022–23 base, so use each figure with its series name and month. Bootpoot’s October food inflation analysis explains what moved in the retail food data.
When the October wholesale figures arrive, compare the same group across months before looking for explanations. A group can show high year-on-year inflation even if its index fell from the previous month. Looking at both comparisons keeps a change in direction from getting lost in a single headline percentage.
For a practical check on the release, keep one line for each index and write its base year beside it. A change from 110 to 112 is meaningful within the same series. Comparing those index levels across two series with different baskets does not show which set of prices is higher. Use the rates to compare direction and pace, and check the underlying series before citing a specific item.
Illustrative photo by Arno Senoner / Unsplash
