The week in charts: Inflation at record low, US flight disruptions, climate concerns
In this weekly Plain Facts compilation, we present to you data-based insights, with easy-to-read charts, to help you delve deeper into the stories reported by Mint in the week gone by.
From India’s retail inflation hitting a record low in October, shutdown in the US hitting flight operations, India’s decision to roll back curbs on rice exports leading to a decline in global prices, a marked decline in demand for employment under rural jobs guarantee programme, and what is keeping India from achieving climate-related goals—here’s this week’s news in numbers.
Inflation plunge
India’s retail inflation declined to a record low of 0.25% in October from 1.44% in the previous month on account of the statistical effect of a favourable base, deeper deflation in food items, and some impact of the goods and services tax (GST) cuts.
Food recorded deflation of 5.02%, much sharper than 2.33% the previous month, as vegetable and pulse prices fell sharply. While the impact of GST cuts was visible in some items, economists said it reflected only a partial pass-through of the benefits, while 57.83% gold inflation limited its effects.
Core inflation, which excludes food and fuel groups, on the other hand, inched up to 4.33% from 4.26%, which economists said needed monitoring.
Rural lift
Around 12.8 million Indians sought work under the rural jobs scheme in October, down from the May 2025 peak of 37.86 million in one of the sharpest mid-year declines in recent years, data from the rural development ministry showed.
States with the highest demand for jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)—Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh— recorded some of the biggest drops.
In Andhra Pradesh, the figure has fallen nearly 93% since May to 445,000 in October. In Bihar, the decline was from 3.7 million to 518,000.
MGNREGA, India’s largest rural safety net, guarantees 100 days of paid unskilled work per household. Demand for it typically rises when the availability of other jobs declines.
Ripple effects
India’s rollback of its ban on rice exports has contributed to a sharp decrease in global rice prices, a new report by the World Trade Organization said. This particularly helped cool down food inflation in African and Asian countries that rely on Indian rice.
In 2022-2023, India had imposed several restrictions on rice exports to control domestic inflation, but rolled them back between September 2024 and March 2025. As a result, global prices, which had shot up, have now declined.
The Food and Agriculture Organization’s rice price index was up 24.7% year-on-year in January 2023, and rose another 13% by January 2024, when the curbs were largely in place. Since then, it has fallen 31%, including a 13% decline in 2025 till October.
Numbers talk
13: The number of people killed in a blast near Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday. The Indian government declared the high-intensity blast a "terrorist incident," and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the case.
Over 40: The number of IndiGo’s grounded planes whose faulty engines are set to be replaced by Pratt & Whitney by the end of June 2026. It is expected to reduce the carrier’s reliance on costly leased planes to offset the nearly 10% unused aircraft in its fleet.
₹45,060: The outlay for two initiatives that the Union Cabinet approved on Wednesday to strengthen India’s export ecosystem and ease liquidity pressures for exporters. The decision comes at a time when Indian exporters are facing steep 50% US tariffs.
Five million barrels: The quantity of non-Russian crude that two state refiners—Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL)—have secured for January arrival. These include US West Texas Intermediate, Abu Dhabi’s Murban and Iraq’s Basra Medium.
$1 billion: The amount Temasek-backed hospital chain Manipal Health Enterprises aims to raise via the initial public offering. The firm looks to file its draft red herring prospectus in December 2025.
Flight risks
The prolonged US government shutdown has triggered widespread flight cancellations and delays, primarily due to severe air traffic control (ATC) staffing shortages.
Unpaid ATC workers have increasingly called out sick, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate progressive flight reductions at the nation's 40 busiest airports.
As a result, over a thousand cancellations took place in the past few days, disrupting millions of travellers. Even with the shutdown ending, experts warn that a return to normal operations will take time.
The US shutdown began on 1 October due to a deadlock over healthcare funding, leading to over 900,000 federal employees being furloughed. The shutdown, which lasted a record 43 days, came to an end on Wednesday after a bipartisan Senate deal was struck.
Climate hurdles
The 30th United Nations conference on climate change is underway in Brazil amid a crisis of credibility, as countries are struggling to address the problems on a global scale.
Back home, Indians think lack of enforcement of climate-related rules and limited technological advancement and funding shortages are the main barriers in addressing the climate issues, a survey by Ipsos revealed.
Indian respondents viewed the lack of enforcement against deforestation and pollution (44%) as the primary barrier to India’s climate goals. 32% cited technology gaps, followed by 30% who found funding shortages for environmental projects as the main factor. 26% of the respondents also identified a lack of political will from government leaders as a key obstacle.
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