new delhi, April 16 -- India's wholesale inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), rose sharply to 3.88% year-on-year in March, from 2.13% in February, data released by the ministry of commerce and industry on Wednesday showed. This is the highest since January 2023, when WPI inflation stood at 4.8%. Wholesale prices also rose 1.64% month-on-month in March, up from 0.38% in February. The uptick was driven by higher prices of crude petroleum and natural gas in the primary articles group; mineral oils in the fuel and power group; and chemicals, textiles, rubber and plastic products, and electrical equipment in manufacturing. These categories are closely linked to crude oil and gas prices, which have been impacted by the war i...