Annual consumer price inflation fell in September to 9.73 percent, driven by a marginal fall in fuel and food prices, government data showed on Friday.

India's retail inflation is the highest among the BRICS group of emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa - and is way above what the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) calls its comfort level.

Food prices for consumers fell to 11.6 percent in September from 12 percent in August. The consumer price index (CPI) reading for August was unchanged at 10.03 percent.

Reserve Bank of India mainly uses the wholesale price index for monitoring inflation, as annual consumer price inflation data was only launched this year.