India's eight core sectors expanded by 3% yoy in September 2025, slowing sharply from August's 15-month high of 6.3%, data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed on Tuesday. These eight sectors account for 40.27% of the weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). A slump in the output of crude oil and coal largely drove the slowdown. Crude oil output dropped by 1.3%, reversing a 2.4% increase in the previous month. Meanwhile, coal output fell 1.2%, compared to an 11.4% surge in August. Other key sectors also saw contractions. Natural gas output declined by 3.8%, deeper than the 2.2% fall recorded in August. Similarly, refinery output dropped 3.7%, after a 3% rise in the previous month. On the positive side, steel production continued to surge, rising 14.1% in September, following a 13.6% increase in August. Cement production rose 5.3%, slightly lower than 5.4% in the previous month. However, growth in both electricity and fertilizer output also eased in September.