India’s CPI inflation rises to 3.21 pc in February 2026

NEW DELHI: India’s Consumer Price Index, or retail inflation, in February was recorded at 3.21 per cent, official data showed on Thursday. Corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are 3.37 per cent and 3.02 per cent, respectively, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said in a statement on Thursday.

Overall, the headline inflation is an increase of 47 basis point on a year-on-year basis in February 2026. On a month-on-month, there has been a decrease of more than 10 per cent observed in the index of tomato, peas and cauliflower in February, 2026 with respect to January, 2026.

Inflation rate based on all-India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month of February, 2026 over February, 2025 is 3.47 per cent (provisional). Corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are 3.46 per cent and 3.48 per cent, respectively.

Top five states (having more than 50 lakhs population as per Census 2011) with highest inflation in February, 2026 are Telangana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, data showed.

Real time price data are collected from selected 1407 urban Markets (including online markets) and 1,465 villages covering all States/UTs through personal visits by field staff of Field Operations Division of NSO, MoSPI on a weekly roster. During the month of February, 2026, prices were collected from 100 per cent rural and urban markets while the market-wise prices reported therein were 99.89 per cent for rural markets and 99.78 per cent for urban markets.

CPI for March 2026 will be released on April 13, 2026 (Monday) or the next working day in case of 13th being a holiday. (ANI)