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The output of eight key infrastructure sectors slowed down to a five-month low of 2.9% in February, as against 7.1% growth registered a year ago, according to official data released on Friday (March 28, 2025).

On a monthly basis, the growth rate in the production of these sectors was lower than the 5.1% expansion recorded in January.

The previous low level of growth at 2.4% was recorded in September.

In February, production of crude oil and natural gas recorded a negative growth.

The production growth of coal, refinery products, steel and electricity moderated to 1.7%, 0.8%, 5.6%, and 2.8%, respectively, against 11.6%, 2.6%, 9.4% and 7.6% in February last year.

However, fertiliser and cement output rose to 10.2% and 10.5%, respectively, during the month under review.

The growth of core sectors — coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity — was 4.4% during April-February this fiscal. It was 7.8% in the same period last fiscal.

The eight core sectors contribute 40.27% to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), which measures overall industrial growth.