20.02.202605:00:00UTC+00India’s Factory Activity Quickens in February as HSBC Manufacturing PMI Climbs to 57.5

India’s manufacturing sector accelerated in February 2026, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 57.5 from 55.4 in January 2026. The latest reading, updated on 20 February 2026, signals a stronger expansion in factory activity compared with the previous month.

A PMI level above 50 indicates growth in the manufacturing sector, and February’s improvement suggests that operating conditions for Indian manufacturers continued to strengthen. The increase from January’s 55.4 to 57.5 points to a faster pace of expansion, underscoring resilient industrial momentum in the early part of 2026.

Market participants and analysts typically watch the HSBC India Manufacturing PMI as a key forward-looking gauge of production, orders and business conditions in the sector. The February uptick may be interpreted as a positive sign for India’s broader economic outlook, given manufacturing’s role in employment, exports and investment.