It wasn’t. June’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) jumped to 9.87%; the highest in over a year; with food and fuel prices squeezing producers harder than expected. The food index alone shot up 6.14% year-on-year, while mineral oils skyrocketed 46.48%. That’s not just a number; that’s the cost of your next meal, your commute, and the goods you buy, all creeping upward. Behind the scenes, global tensions; especially around the Strait of Hormuz; are feeding India’s cost crisis. Even as fuel inflation dipped slightly, the damage was already done: higher energy costs pushed up manufacturing, food, and metal prices. And this isn’t temporary. With El Niño threatening monsoon rains and a weaker rupee adding pressure, the ripple effects will hit households and budgets. Here’s the hidden catch: the government quietly rolled out a new inflation reporting system; the first major overhaul since 2011. New indices like OPPI and IPPI now track what producers pay and earn, giving sharper, more real-time signals. But will this help policymakers act faster; or just reveal how deep the cracks already are? This isn’t just economics. It’s the quiet squeeze on middle-class wallets, rural incomes, and everyday resilience.