India's industrial output rose 6.2 per cent in October year-on-year, boosted by strong growth in the manufacturing and electricity sectors, official data released on Thursday showed.
That was up sharply from the 3.2 per cent rise in October last year when manufacturers were in the grips of a demand slowdown.
Between April and October, industrial output rose 5.5 per cent compared with 2.5 per cent in the same period last year.
Industrial output rose by a better-than-expected 6.1 per cent in September, buoyed by a strong manufacturing sector.
The infrastructure sector -- which spans electricity, coal, steel, crude oil, refinery and cement -- grew 6.1 per cent in October, boosting overall industrial output. The sector accounts for more than a quarter of India's industrial output.
The strong growth comes despite some analysts' expectations of a demand slowdown following the country's worst drought in 15 years.
Analysts have, however, said, the effect of the drought might have eased because of late rains in August and September.
The manufacturing sector, which mirrors demand for goods, expanded 6.4 per cent in October compared with 3.5 per cent growth in the year-ago period.
Consumer non-durables -- which cover a range of products from shoes to shampoos -- grew at a scorching 14.6 per cent in October compared with a meagre 2.1 per cent in the year-ago period.
Consumer durables, on the other hand, shrank by 5.9 per cent compared with a strong 25.2 per cent growth a year ago.
Capital goods grew a healthy 12.2 per cent in October compared with a decline of 0.3 per cent in the same month a year ago.
Mining grew 3.8 per cent compared with 3.7 per cent a year earlier while the electricity sector grew 7.4 per cent compared with a fall of 0.2 per cent in October last year.
India's economy is expected to grow 5.0-5.5 per cent in 2002-03 (April-March) due to a likely drop in farm sector output. The economy grew 5.4 per cent in 2001-02.
The Indian economy, the world's 12th largest, depends heavily on farm sector growth because two-thirds of the country's more than one billion people earn a living from agriculture.
Industry accounts for 27 per cent of GDP but is a major contributor to government revenues because most other sectors, such as agriculture, are largely untaxed.
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