Retail inflation was recorded at 1.54% in September, the lowest since 2017

Current Context: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation Report for September 2025 was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on October 14, 2025.

• It showed retail inflation at 1.54%, the lowest since June 2017.
• The fall was mainly due to deflation in food prices (–2.28%) and easing fuel costs.
• Rural inflation stood at 1.07%, while urban inflation was 2.04%.
• This marked the fourth consecutive month of negative food inflation, aided by good crop supplies.
• The report highlighted that inflation slipped below RBI’s 2–6% target band, raising monetary policy concerns.
• It provides a detailed breakdown of price movements across food, fuel, housing, and other CPI components.

Question:

Q.1 According to the CPI Inflation Report for September 2025, retail inflation stood at:
a) 2.54%
b) 3.15%
c) 1.54%
d) 4.01%

Answer: c) The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) reported CPI inflation at 1.54% in September 2025, the lowest since June 2017.