India CPI inflation, CPI inflation August 2026, WPI inflation India, why is inflation rising in India
Title - India CPI inflation, CPI inflation August 2026, WPI inflation India, why is inflation rising in India India’s macroeconomic landscape has shifted abruptly, transforming retail inflation from an economic tailwind into a persistent headwind. Headline retail inflation surged from 2.74% in January 2026 to 4.82% in August. According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on 14 September 2026, this marked the third consecutive month that inflation breached the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 4% medium-term target. This escalating price volatility is reverberating across corporate balance sheets. Rising input costs are squeezing operating margins, while accelerating food and fuel bills are increasing, and continues to diminish household purchasing power. Consequently, discretionary demand is cooling just as borrowing costs climb. Below, we unpack the August metrics, trace the underlying catalytic forces, evaluate the monetary policy outl...