India's eight core infrastructure industries showed a resilient comeback in November 2025, registering a growth of 1.8 percent. This positive performance marks a significant rebound from the contraction witnessed in the previous month of October, offering a mixed but hopeful signal for the broader industrial economy.
November Reverses October's Downturn
The latest data, released on December 22, 2025, indicates a recovery in the combined index of core industries. The growth to 1.8 percent in November comes after a period of contraction, highlighting the volatile nature of industrial recovery. The figures are calculated on a year-on-year basis, comparing performance with the same month in the previous year.
Energy Segments Drag on Overall Performance
Despite the overall growth, the production data revealed persistent weaknesses in energy-linked segments. Crude oil production recorded a decline of 3.2 percent in November 2025 compared to November 2024. This continued slump in a critical sector underscores ongoing challenges in domestic hydrocarbon extraction and supply chains.
The contraction was not limited to crude oil alone. Other energy-related segments also contributed to the drag, tempering the more robust performance from other core industries like cement, steel, and electricity. This divergence points to an uneven recovery across different facets of the nation's industrial base.
Implications for the Broader Economy
The core sector, which includes coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity, accounts for a substantial portion of India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP). Therefore, its November rebound is a cautiously optimistic leading indicator for the country's overall industrial activity in that month.
Analysts suggest that while the return to growth is encouraging, the weakness in key energy sectors remains a concern for policy makers. It highlights the need for focused interventions to boost domestic production and manage input costs for downstream industries. The performance in the coming months will be crucial to determine if this rebound translates into a sustained recovery trend for the financial year.
The data was reported by Gyanendra Keshri, providing a critical snapshot of the economy's foundational sectors as the year 2025 drew to a close.
