In April, India's retail inflation increased to 3.5%, marking a four-month high, compared to 3.4% in March. This rise is attributed to higher food and gold prices, as indicated by official data released on Tuesday. Food inflation specifically rose to 4.2%, with rural areas experiencing a higher rate of 4.3%. Economists, including Sakshi Gupta from HDFC Bank, anticipate further inflationary pressures due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts and rising energy costs. A ₹5 increase in petrol prices could potentially raise inflation by 20 basis points. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to maintain its policy rate at 5.25% during its June meeting, as inflation remains close to its medium-term target of 4%. Notably, Telangana reported the highest inflation rate among states at 5.8%. The outlook for May suggests inflation could rise to 4.1%, depending on energy price adjustments.