Indian Appliance Makers Hike Air Conditioner Prices Amid Rising Costs

Indian appliance manufacturers are set to increase air conditioner prices by 5-8% starting October 1, 2026. This is the third price hike of the year and comes as companies struggle with rising costs for raw materials and volatile currency rates.

Leading firms such as Blue Star and Haier India have announced the price increases, citing a surge in input costs, particularly for copper, steel, and crude oil derivatives. Blue Star's Managing Director B. Thiagarajan stated that input costs are 15% higher than during the previous festive period, but the GST benefits of around 10% could reduce the effective impact on consumers to roughly 5%. Haier India's President N.S. Satish announced a 5% increase in room air conditioner prices from October 1, with an additional 2-3% hike for LED televisions and washing machines.

Industry experts warn that if commodity costs remain elevated, consumers should prepare for further price revisions throughout the start of 2027. Panasonic remains an outlier for now, as its Head of Product Marketing Abhishek Verma stated that the firm is still evaluating whether to join the industry trend.