INDEX OF EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES (BASE YEAR: 2011-12=100) FOR FEBRUARY, 2026

1. At a Glance

ICI is a monthly production-volume index for eight infrastructure-supporting industries with base year 2011-12=100, compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry [S2][S3].
The 8 industries together carry 40.27% weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), making ICI a high-frequency lead indicator of industrial activity [S1][S2].
February 2026 print: +2.3% YoY (provisional); cumulative April–February FY26: +2.9% [S1].

PIB release dated 20 March 2026 placed Feb-2026 ICI growth at 2.3% (provisional), with 5 of 8 sectors positive (Cement, Steel, Fertilizers, Coal, Electricity) [S1].
Final growth for January 2026 revised to 4.7% [S1].

ICI series was initiated in April 2004 with a basket of six core industries (base 1993-94) [S2].
Expanded over successive revisions to the current eight-industry basket; base year shifted to 2011-12=100 w.e.f. April 2014 [S2][S3].
Released monthly with a lag of about one month (T+30); each release carries provisional current-month figure and final figure for month-3 [S2].

Compiling body: Office of the Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under Ministry of Commerce & Industry [S2][S3].
Base year: 2011-12=100 [S1].
Coverage: Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, Electricity [S1].
Combined weight in IIP: 40.27% [S1][S2].
Individual weights (in ICI / IIP):
Petroleum Refinery Products — 28.04% (largest) [S2]
Electricity — 19.85% [S2]
Steel — 17.92% [S2]
Coal — 10.33% [S2]
Crude Oil — 8.98% [S2]
Natural Gas — 6.88% [S2]
Cement — 5.37% [S2]
Fertilizers — 2.63% (smallest) [S2]
February 2026 sector growth (YoY, provisional): Cement +9.3%, Steel +7.2%; Fertilizers, Coal, Electricity also positive; Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products negative [S1].

Economic: ICI is a lead indicator for manufacturing/mining/electricity components of IIP and a near-real-time read on capex and infrastructure demand; Feb-2026's 2.3% print signals moderation vs Jan's revised 4.7% [S1].
Sectoral composition bias: Heavy weighting toward Refinery Products (28%) + Electricity (20%) + Steel (18%) means ICI is dominated by energy and metal cycles; Fertilizers' low 2.63% weight understates its agricultural significance [S2].
Statistical/Administrative: Unlike IIP (compiled by NSO/MoSPI), ICI is compiled by DPIIT's Economic Adviser — a key federal split useful for Prelims [S2][S3].
Policy linkage: Used by RBI MPC, Finance Ministry, and NSO for GDP nowcasting, IIP back-casting, and PLI scheme monitoring in steel, cement, refineries [S2].

Feb 2026: ICI +2.3% provisional [S1].
Jan 2026 (final): +4.7% [S1].
Apr 2025–Feb 2026 cumulative: +2.9% (provisional) [S1].
Monthly releases continued through Jul 2025, Nov 2025, Dec 2025 with no base-year revision yet announced [S1].

Base year of ICI: 2011-12=100 [S1].
Compiling agency: Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (NOT MoSPI) [S2][S3].
Number of industries: 8 [S1].
Combined weight in IIP: 40.27% [S1].
Highest-weighted core industry: Petroleum Refinery Products (28.04%) [S2].
Lowest-weighted core industry: Fertilizers (2.63%) [S2].
Second-highest weight: Electricity (19.85%) [S2].
Steel weight: 17.92% [S2].
Cement weight: 5.37%; Coal weight: 10.33% [S2].
Feb 2026 headline: +2.3% (provisional) [S1].
Final Jan 2026 growth: 4.7% [S1].
Cumulative Apr-Feb FY26: 2.9% [S1].
Original 2004 launch: 6 core industries (base 1993-94) [S2].
Current base shifted: w.e.f. April 2014 [S2].
ICI release lag: ~30 days [S2].

GS-III: Indian Economy — Growth, Development, Industrial Policy; "Effects of liberalization on the economy".
Syllabus heading: Issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment / Industrial growth and infrastructure.
Plausible stems: 1. "The Index of Eight Core Industries is a more responsive indicator of industrial momentum than the IIP. Examine." 2. "Discuss the structural challenges reflected in the recent trends of core sector output, with reference to energy and metal industries." 3. "How does the weighting structure of the ICI shape its interpretation as a barometer of Indian industrial health?"

Index of Industrial Production (IIP) — parent index; ICI is a subset [S2].
GDP / GVA estimation by NSO — ICI feeds nowcasts.
PLI Schemes (Steel, Specialty Steel) — production linkage with ICI components.
WPI & CPI — complementary high-frequency indicators (released by Economic Adviser & NSO respectively).
National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI — to contrast with DPIIT.
Manufacturing PMI — alternative private-sector lead indicator.
Coal India / ONGC / SAIL / NTPC — PSU production drivers behind ICI.
National Infrastructure Pipeline & Gati Shakti — demand creators for core sectors.

Wrong ministry: ICI is by DPIIT (Commerce & Industry), NOT MoSPI; IIP is by MoSPI [S2][S3].
Weight confusion: Largest weight is Refinery Products (28.04%) — aspirants often pick Electricity or Steel [S2].
Number of sectors: Originally 6, now 8 since 2014 rebasing [S2].
Base year mix-up: ICI base is 2011-12, same as IIP — but ICI ≠ IIP (ICI is a sub-basket of 40.27% weight) [S1][S2].
Provisional vs final: Headline (Feb 2026 = 2.3%) is provisional; one-month-prior (Jan 2026 = 4.7%) is final — questions may test this distinction [S1].

[S1] INDEX OF EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES (BASE YEAR: 2011-12=100) FOR FEBRUARY, 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243014 — (tier: 1)
[S2] A Note on Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI), Base year 2011-12 — https://eaindustry.nic.in/eight_core_infra/ICI_Compilation_Methodology.pdf — (tier: 1)
[S3] Index of Eight Core Industries (Base: 2011-12=100) — methodology note — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1562086 — (tier: 1)