India retail inflation rises to 1.66% in December 2025 as prices climb for personal care and some food items
Official data showed CPI inflation rose to 1.66% in December 2025 from 0.71% in November, driven by higher prices in personal care and select food categories even as headline inflation stayed below the RBI’s upper tolerance band.
India’s CPI-based retail inflation increased to 1.66% in December 2025 from 0.71% in November, according to official data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The rise was attributed to higher prices across categories including personal care products and some food items such as meat and fish, eggs, spices, and pulses.
The data point is being closely watched ahead of the Union Budget session and as markets assess the inflation trajectory going into early 2026.