India’s retail inflation eases to 6.83% in August

India's annual retail inflation eased to 6.83 percent in August from a 15-month high of 7.44 percent in July as food prices moderated, government data showed on Tuesday.

A Reuters poll of 45 economists had forecast a rate of 7 percent.

Food inflation, which accounts for nearly half of the overall basket, was up 9.94 percent in August compared with a rise of 11.51 percent in July.

Food prices have been a key concern for policymakers since last year as erratic weather conditions have hurt the output of vegetables, milk and cereals.

Last month, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said food price shocks posed a risk to the "anchoring of inflation expectations" and the central bank would remain watchful.

Inflation has been above the central bank's 2 percent-6 percent target band for seven months out of the last 12.