The government recently updated the CPI base year to 2023–24 from 2011–12. The update reflects changes in consumption patterns and includes new items while removing others. Garg said the ministry has released month-by-month inflation data for 2025 under both old and new series, along with linking factors connecting the two-index series.
He added that further details may be released after expert review. “Over the next few months, in case there are some details which are possible, we will take the advice of the expert group.”
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He said higher food inflation in the new series is due to expanded market coverage and changes in food basket weights. “The number of markets has increased from around 2,300 to around 2,900 markets. So, our reach both in the urban and rural areas has increased. The eights within food items have changed… cereals have reduced, fruits, fish, meat and dairy have increased.”
He added that new items such as millets and barley have been included, which may also affect inflation readings.
Dr Garg said, “We look at price changes and not the level of the prices themselves… given the greater granularity now, it is easier to look at what items and sectors prices have changed.”
He said that rental inflation data is now based on ground-level rental tracking instead of policy-linked rent changes.
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MoSPI said upcoming GDP calculation changes will include better data from the informal sector and wider use of double deflation in manufacturing.
Dr Garg said, “One should not expect a drastic change in numbers, either in terms of levels or growth rates, but there would be some changes.”
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