New Delhi, Aug 26 - India's annual rate of inflation rose marginally to minus 0.95 percent for the week ended Aug 15 from minus 1.53 percent the week before, according to official data released Wednesday.

The rate turned negative for the week ended June 6 for the first time since the new wholesale price index (WPI) series started in 1995.

The inflation rate had last turned negative in 1977. Negative inflation implies that the average wholesale price level was lower during a given week, than it was in the corresponding week a year ago. It does not necessarily reflect retail prices.

Both the price indices for primary articles and manufactured products rose.

While the index for primary articles rose 2.1 percent to 268.4 (provisional) from 262.9 (provisional) the week before, the index for manufactured products rose 0.1 percent to 206.4 (provisional) from 206.1 (provisional).

However, the price index for fuel and power remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 338.2 (provisional).

The final data for the week ended June 20 showed that the revised annual inflation rate actually stood at minus 1.30 percent.