FAST READ
- All-India CPI inflation in August 2026: 4.82% (provisional).
- Consumer Food Price Index inflation: 5.95%.
- Rural inflation: 5.23%; urban inflation: 4.31%.
WHY IN NEWS
- MoSPI released the August 2026 Consumer Price Index using the new base year 2024=100.
- The rise from July highlights renewed food-price pressure and the rural-urban inflation gap.
TOP DATA & FACTS
- August 2026 combined CPI inflation: 4.82%.
- July 2026 combined CPI inflation: 4.45%.
- Increase over July: 0.37 percentage point.
- August rural CPI inflation: 5.23%.
- August urban CPI inflation: 4.31%.
- Rural-urban inflation gap: 0.92 percentage point.
- Combined CFPI food inflation: 5.95%.
- Rural food inflation: 6.13%.
- Urban food inflation: 5.64%.
- Combined CPI index: 108.74.
- Rural CPI index: 109.27; urban CPI index: 108.07.
- Combined CFPI index: 110.71.
- CPI base year: 2024=100.
- Food and beverages combined inflation: 5.66%.
PRELIMS
- Headline CPI inflation rose to 4.82% in August 2026 from 4.45% in July.
- Food inflation was higher at 5.95%, with rural food inflation at 6.13%.
- The current CPI series uses 2024 as the base year.
QUICK REVISION
- August 2026 combined CPI inflation: 4.82%.
- July 2026 combined CPI inflation: 4.45%.
- Increase over July: 0.37 percentage point.
- August rural CPI inflation: 5.23%.
- August urban CPI inflation: 4.31%.
- Rural-urban inflation gap: 0.92 percentage point.
- Combined CFPI food inflation: 5.95%.
- Rural food inflation: 6.13%.
PROBABLE OBJECTIVE QUESTION
With reference to India's August 2026 CPI, consider the following statements:
- Combined CPI inflation was 4.82%.
- Rural CPI inflation was higher than urban CPI inflation.
- The CPI series used for the release has 2012 as its base year.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer:
(a) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect because the release uses the CPI series with base year 2024=100.