The sharp rise in core industrial production in the month of September has hinted that the Indian economy may at last be on track to sustainable growth, some economists believe.

Eight core infrastructure industries, which have a collective weight of 37.90 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), reported a growth of 8 per cent in production in September. The impressive growth was mainly driven by higher production of electricity (12.6 per cent), coal (12.5 per cent) and cement (11.5 per cent).

Industrial production typically increases around a month ahead of Diwali every year and falls thereafter. But, some economists are of the view that there are chances that some of the recorded growth would be sustainable.

Sajjid Chinoy, a senior economist at JP Morgan, said, "We should not over-interpret one month's data . seasonality involved in the run-up to Diwali. But the growth in core industry data is certainly consistent with a modest industrial lift underpinned by external and rural demand."

Aditi Nayar, senior economist at ICRA, said the IIP might report a humble improvement in September as compared with the first five months of the current financial year.

However, economists cautioned that it would be too early to conclude that the sharp rise in core industrial production in September marks a turnaround.