Growth in Eight Core Industries Context: India’s eight core industrial sectors recorded a growth of 0.5% in May 2026, according to the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This was the second-lowest growth rate in the last 21 months; only October 2025 witnessed a lower figure, with the index contracting by 0.1%. Five of the eight sectors registered a decline in output during May. Sectors Showing Contraction Crude Oil: Output declined by 4.6%, compared to a contraction of 3.9% in April and 1.8% in May 2025. Natural Gas: Production fell by 4.9%, the steepest decline in three months. Refinery Products: Output contracted by 8.7%, the sharpest fall in about three and a half years. Coal: Production decreased by 9.3%, marking the worst performance in ten months. Fertilizers: Output declined by 0.9%, extending the contraction for the third consecutive month. Factors Behind the Slowdown Economists attributed the weak performance mainly to the petroleum-based sectors. Higher imports of crude oil and softening international prices affected domestic production. The decline in refinery output was also partly linked to the impact of the West Asia crisis. Sectors Recording Growth Electricity: Grew by 8.7%, rebounding from a contraction of 4.7% in May 2025. Steel: Registered 5% growth, though this was the lowest growth rate in 13 months. Cement: Output increased by 8.4%, showing a marginal acceleration. Current Facts Khurasani Imli from State of Madhya Pradesh has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. The Battle of Plassey, fought on June 23, 1757, secured a decisive victory for the British East India Company against the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah.
