NEW DELHI, April 15 (Xinhua) -- India's wholesale price index (WPI) rose to 3.88 percent in March this year, data released by the federal ministry of commerce and industry on Wednesday said.

The annual rate of inflation based on All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) number is 3.88 percent (provisional) for March 2026 (over March 2025), reads a statement issued by the ministry.

Positive rate of inflation in March 2026 is primarily due to an increase in prices of crude petroleum and natural gas, other manufacturing, non-food articles, manufacture of basic metals and food articles, etc., according to the statement.

WPI inflation rate was 2.13 percent (provisional) in February and 1.68 percent (final) in January.

WPI inflation, an indicator of prices in the wholesale market, rises or falls mainly due to a steep increase or decrease in commodity prices globally.

WPI Food inflation remained steady at 1.85 percent in March.

The food index, consisting of food articles from the primary articles group and food products from the manufactured products group, has marginally decreased from 192.9 in February 2026 to 192.8 in March 2026.

The index for the primary articles group increased by 2.28 percent from 192.9 (provisional) for the month of February 2026 to 197.3 (provisional) in March 2026.

The index for the fuel and power group increased by 4.13 percent from 147.6 (provisional) for the month of February 2026 to 153.7 (provisional) in March 2026.

The index for the manufactured products group increased by 0.88 percent from 148.2 (provisional) for February 2026 to 149.5 (provisional) in March 2026. ■