September 2026 CPI Inflation at 5.54%; Food Inflation at 7.74%
India's provisional all-India retail inflation was 5.54% year-on-year in September 2026, while food inflation measured by the Consumer Food Price Index was 7.74%, according to the National Statistics Office's release dated 12 October 2026.
What happened
The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), released provisional September 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on 12 October 2026, using base 2024=100.
Key facts
- September 2026 combined all-India CPI year-on-year inflation: 5.54% (provisional); August 2026 final figure: 4.83%.
- September rural CPI inflation 6.08% and urban CPI inflation 4.88%.
- September combined Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) year-on-year inflation 7.74% (provisional); rural 8.06%, urban 7.18%.
- September combined CPI index 109.49 and combined CFPI index 112.17; index base 2024=100.
- Year-on-year inflation compares September 2026 with September 2025, not August 2026.
- The official release schedules October CPI data for 12 November 2026, or the next working day if that is a holiday.
Why it matters
CPI tracks retail price movements. Comparing the headline CPI rate with the food-specific CFPI rate and rural/urban differences helps aspirants interpret inflation reports without confusing index levels and inflation percentages.
Exam takeaway
NSO/MoSPI is the release authority; distinguish CPI from CFPI, base 2024=100 from the reference month, and provisional September inflation 5.54% from the index level 109.49.
Where this comes from
India's provisional all-India retail inflation was 5.54% year-on-year in September 2026, while food inflation measured by the Consumer Food Price Index was 7.74%, according to the National Statistics Office's release dated 12 October 2026.
- Authority / source
- National Statistics Office / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation / PIB
- Update published