New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- India's core infrastructure sector grew 4% year-on-year in January, slowing from the revised 4.7% expansion recorded in December, as weakness in crude oil and natural gas capped gains in construction-linked segments.

The combined index of eight core industries stood at 180.8 in January 2026, up from 173.8 a year earlier and 177.3 in December, provisional data released by the commerce and industry ministry on Friday showed. That indicates sequential improvement despite a softer annual growth rate.

The eight core sectors-coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity-together account for 40.27% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), underscoring their direct influenc...