The latest food inflation figure marks the first single-digit reading in 128 months and the lowest since August 2011, when food inflation stood at 8.66 per cent. From June 2015, when the rate rose to 10.04 per cent, food inflation remained in double digits for 128 consecutive months until December 2025. On a month-on-month basis, food inflation contracted by 6.02 per cent in January, compared with a 0.36 per cent decline in December 2025. In the report, the bureau stated, “The food inflation rate in January 2026 was 8.89 per cent on a year-on-year basis. The 12-month average core inflation rate was 22.84 per cent, lower than the 27.24 per cent recorded in January 2025.

Source: Punch February 17, 2026 15:31 UTC