← 15 September 2026's Current Affairs · Economy GS-3 Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★★★
Retail and wholesale inflation move in divergent directions
Why in News?
One inflation number hit 9.92%, another only 4.82% — but RBI targets just one
Retail inflation (CPI) rose to 4.82% and wholesale inflation (WPI) to 9.92% in August, compiled by different government agencies.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2020; GS-3 core
What you need to know
2 min read
India's retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 4.82% in August, while wholesale inflation, measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), climbed sharply to 9.92% on the back of rising food, fuel and manufactured goods prices.
The CPI is compiled by the National Statistical Office and is the index the Reserve Bank of India targets under its flexible inflation-targeting framework.
The WPI is compiled separately by the Office of the Economic Adviser in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Sources: The Hindu · Topper IAS editorial
Key facts
Remember these
- Retail inflation (CPI) rose to 4.82% in August
- Wholesale inflation (WPI) climbed to 9.92% in August
- CPI is compiled by the National Statistical Office (NSO)
- The RBI targets CPI under its flexible inflation-targeting framework
- WPI is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is compiled by the National Statistical Office.
- The Reserve Bank of India targets CPI inflation under its flexible inflation-targeting framework.
- The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
- August saw WPI (9.92%) rise sharply above CPI (4.82%), driven by food, fuel and manufactured goods prices.
Mains
GS Paper 3 - the CPI-WPI divergence highlights that India's monetary policy, anchored to CPI under the flexible inflation-targeting framework, may not fully capture producer-side price pressures signalled by a surging WPI. This gap between consumer-facing and wholesale prices has implications for exporters, manufacturers and future retail price pass-through, calling for closer coordination between the NSO and DPIIT's Office of the Economic Adviser in reading India's true inflation picture.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Consider the following statements
- The weightage of food in Consumer Price Index (CPI) is higher than that in Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
- The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.
- Reserve Bank of India has now adopted WPI as its key measure of inflation and to decide on changing the key policy rates.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to inflation measurement in India, consider the following statements:
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is released by the National Statistical Office.
- The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: C — The Consumer Price Index is released by the National Statistical Office, and the Wholesale Price Index is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; both statements are correct.
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