S&P Global releases HSBC India Manufacturing PMI data for March 2026

Exam-focused facts from the 6 April 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 53.9 in March 2026 from 56.9 in February, the lowest since June 2022.
Input cost inflation hit a 43-month high in March, driven by higher prices for aluminium, chemicals, fuel, jute, leather, fabric, oil, rubber and steel.
Manufacturers raised output charges at the slowest pace in two years as firms absorbed most cost increases.
Export orders expanded the most since September 2025, with gains from Australia, Brazil, Canada, mainland China, Europe, Japan, the West Asia, Turkiye and Vietnam.
Employment rose at the fastest pace in seven months while backlogs declined for the first time in nearly 18 months.