Government to launch revamped core industries index on July 20, adds iron ore as ninth sector

The Centre is set to unveil a revamped Index of Core Industries (ICI) on July 20, introducing a new base year of 2022–23 and adding iron ore as the ninth core sector. The revised index, prepared by the Office of the Economic Adviser under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), will replace the existing series based on 2011–12, marking the first major overhaul of the index in more than a decade.

The updated ICI is designed to better reflect the current structure of India's industrial economy. Along with the revised methodology, the government will release provisional core sector data for June 2026 and a historical back series covering the period from April 2023 to May 2026.

The inclusion of iron ore is expected to provide a more comprehensive picture of industrial activity, as the mineral plays a crucial role in steel production and infrastructure development.

The Index of Core Industries tracks the performance of sectors that serve as the backbone of the economy and acts as an important indicator of industrial growth. Policymakers, economists and businesses closely monitor the data to assess economic momentum and guide investment and policy decisions.