Inflation rates by country and year

-7.6%1.4%10.5%19.5%28.6%
-7.6%1.4%10.5%19.5%28.6%
19601.8%
199211.8%
20252.4%
Source: World Bank

Data: World Bank, annual %. For information only — not financial advice.

Year2025Inflation Rate2.4%

Behind the curve

Turning points in India

  1. 1973↑ Upward pressure

    The oil crisis and a poor monsoon — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The oil embargo and a failed monsoon sent food and fuel prices sharply higher, and inflation peaked in 1974.

    Reserve Bank of India
  2. 1980↑ Upward pressure

    The second oil crisis — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The second oil-price surge raised costs across the economy, keeping inflation elevated into 1981.

    Reserve Bank of India
  3. 1991↕ Mixed effects

    The balance-of-payments crisis and liberalisation — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    A foreign-exchange crisis and a steep rupee devaluation pushed prices up in 1991, while the liberalisation reforms that followed reshaped the economy.

    Reserve Bank of India
  4. 2008↑ Upward pressure

    The global food price crisis — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Surging global food prices and domestic shortages drove up Indian food inflation in 2008.

    Reserve Bank of India
  5. 2020↕ Mixed effects

    The pandemic and supply disruption — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Lockdowns disrupted food supply chains, keeping inflation elevated even as demand weakened.

    Reserve Bank of India
  6. 2022↑ Upward pressure

    Energy and food price pressures — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Higher global energy and food prices after the Ukraine war added to India's inflation in 2022.

    Reserve Bank of India

These are selected historical influences, not a complete account of inflation. An upward-pressure event can coincide with a peak when its inflationary effect has already occurred or when other forces begin pushing inflation lower. The markers show the years in which events occurred, although their effects may extend into later years.

What is the inflation in India?

The annual inflation rate in India was 2.4% in 2025, the most recent year in the World Bank dataset. That means prices rose 2.4% on average compared with the year before. Use the chart above to explore India's full inflation history from 1960 to 2025, and to compare it with any other country.

How inflation in India has changed

Inflation in India peaked at 28.6% in 1974 and reached its lowest point at -7.6% in 1976. Averaged across the 66 years of available data (1960–2025), the rate has been 7.2% per year.

Frequently asked questions about inflation in India

What is the current inflation rate in India?

The latest available annual figure is 2.4% in 2025, from the World Bank. Because the figures are reported annually, they may not reflect the most recent monthly reading published by India's statistical office.

What was the highest inflation rate in India?

The highest annual inflation rate on record is 28.6%, reached in 1974.

What was the lowest inflation rate in India?

The lowest annual inflation rate on record is -7.6%, recorded in 1976.

Where does the inflation data for India come from?

All figures come from the World Bank's World Development Indicators (indicator FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG), which report annual consumer price inflation for more than 200 countries and territories from 1960 onward.