India’s headline inflation slowed in April 2025, marking the lowest y/y pace since July 2019, as food costs retreated sharply, according to provisional data released by the country's Ministry of Statistics. The all-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.16% y/y in April, down 18 basis points from March’s 3.34%.

The steepest moderation came in food inflation, which eased to 1.78% y/y from 2.69% in March. This is the lowest reading since October 2021. The Indian government attributed the cooling in prices to declines in vegetables, cereals, pulses, fruit, meat and fish, and personal care items. Rural areas saw headline inflation fall to 2.92% y/y in April from 3.25% in March, while urban inflation eased to 3.36% from 3.43% over the same period.

Rural food inflation dropped significantly to 1.85%, compared to 2.82% the previous month. In cities, food inflation slipped to 1.64% from 2.48%. Housing inflation for April stood at 3.00%, down slightly from 3.03% in March. Education inflation rose to 4.13% from 3.98%, and health inflation remained relatively stable at 4.25%.

Inflation in transport and communication climbed to 3.73%, while fuel and light costs rose to 2.92%, from 1.42%. The Indian National Statistics Office surveyed over 2,000 locations and recorded near-full coverage across markets. April’s figures were gathered from 100% of rural villages and 98.6% of urban centres.