State-run oil marketing companies are facing mounting losses on petrol and diesel sales as a surge in crude prices outpaces unchanged domestic fuel prices, rating agency ICRA said. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) are losing Rs 8 a litre on petrol, and Rs 9 on diesel, while under-recoveries on domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stood at about Rs 300 per cylinder, ICRA said. "At these levels, the daily loss to the OMCs is estimated at Rs 530 crore," ICRA said. Crude oil prices have risen sharply in recent weeks amid escalating geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions in West Asia. The surge was driven by renewed US-Iran conflict, the shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and heightened Houthi activities in the Red Sea. The price of the basket of crude oil India imports rose to USD 117.4 per barrel as on September 21, 2026, from the 2025-26 average of around USD 66 a barrel. "The ...
Global diesel supplies are tightening as fuel stocks fall to historic lows, refinery capacity remains limited and wars disrupt trade, raising the risk of high prices into 2027
The inflation-adjusted price of diesel in late August was about as high as it was in 2022 and has likely risen further
Equirus Securities sees HPCL as the most vulnerable among major oil marketers, while BPCL is relatively better placed due to stronger integration and distillate yields
U.S. diesel prices have surged nearly 60% since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February
Escalating conflicts in West Asia and Europe are driving diesel refining margins higher, delaying fuel price cuts and increasing losses for Indian oil retailers
Analysts and the government differ on fuel under-recoveries as crude prices ease, highlighting contrasting views on OMC margins and India's fuel pricing formula
Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, on Wednesday cut petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 a litre across its nationwide network, marking the first reduction in retail fuel prices by any company in more than two years as easing tensions in West Asia pulled down international oil prices. The price cut follows a retreat in global crude oil prices after hostilities in West Asia eased and the reopening of a key maritime route restored the flow of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, reducing concerns over supply disruptions. The revised rates have come into effect at all of Nayara's more than 7,000 fuel stations across the country, industry sources said. Actual pump prices vary across states depending on local levies such as value-added tax (VAT). Public sector fuel retailers, however, kept prices unchanged. State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), which together accou
Profitability at state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) is set to improve as falling crude oil prices lift fuel marketing margins, although rising debt levels and uncertainty over fuel taxes could limit the sector's longer-term earnings outlook, according to a JP Morgan report. Composite margins on petrol and diesel sales at state-run refiners and fuel retailers are now above levels seen before the recent Middle East conflict, with gains driven by lower crude prices and reduced central excise duties, it said. The start of the West Asia conflict triggered a surge in global oil prices but retail pump rates in India remained steady for large parts and rising only by a fraction of the required increase. Even after the Rs 7.50 per litre increase in petrol and diesel prices in May, retail pump rates were lower than the cost. "Our estimates for OMC composite margins on petrol and diesel are now higher than pre-war levels. Losses on LPG are still elevated, but should also start to track o
Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Thursday said that the fuel prices cannot be reduced immediately when the rate of global crude comes down as it involves many factors, including the time taken for the cheaper oil to reach India. Gopi, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, said of the recent hike in fuel prices, only an increase of around Rs 3.94 per litre has made an impact, but it cannot be immediately rolled back just because the cost of crude has gone down globally. "It will take time as the cheaper crude has to be transported to India via Strait of Hormuz, which will see an excessive traffic of ship movement. So things will have to be normalised," he told reporters here. He further said that since the war broke out in West Asia in February this year, the oil companies were impacted in a big way and the central government absorbed the impact to a good extent. "By absorbing the impact, the Centre lost Rs 12,000 crore. None of the states reduced their ..
State-run OMCs are currently absorbing losses of around Rs 550 crore per day on sale of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG
Private bus operators here on Tuesday said they may have to increase their prices by around 30 per cent due to the diesel price hike. The diesel price is hovering around Rs 100 per litre and the difficulties in getting diesel have forced bus owners to ply fewer buses, said Pushkar Luley, joint secretary of the Bus Owners and Travel Agents Welfare Association. Around 125 buses ply between Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and various other cities in Maharashtra and neighboring states, he said. Diesel prices have surged by nearly Rs 7.50 per litre in May amid the West Asia conflict. "We require average 300 litres of diesel per day per bus. Though our dealers are fixed, we now need to check availability of stock. The buses have not stopped plying completely, but we sometimes have to accommodate passengers in other buses if there are empty seats," said Luley. "Ticket prices have not increased yet, but looking at the situation, we will have to raise the prices by at least 30 percent," he ...
Fuel prices were raised by ₹2.61-2.71 per litre as oil marketing companies continue to face mounting losses amid elevated global crude oil prices
Recent fuel price hikes likely to push petrol inflation above 2024 base-year levels after prolonged period of muted CPI readings
Since May 15, fuel retailers have raised petrol by ₹7.38/litre and diesel by ₹7.52/litre as surging global crude oil prices and mounting losses forced repeated revisions
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latest fuel hike, saying 'mehangai manav' has struck again and he has just one job of making promises during elections and attacking people's pockets at other times. Petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 2.61-2.71 per litre on Monday, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks as state-owned fuel retailers continued to pass on rising international oil prices to consumers. "Mehangai manav' Modi strikes again. He raises petrol and diesel prices in installments - ensuring that your pockets are quietly picked, bit by bit," Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X. "For months, I had been warning of an impending economic storm. But Modi Ji, true to form, was busy with elections at the time and the moment the elections ended, he hiked the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 8," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. And, this upward trend will only continue, he ...
Petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 2.61-2.71 per litre on Monday, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks, as state-owned firms continued to pass on rising international prices to consumers. With the latest revision, cumulative increases in petrol and diesel prices are almost Rs 7.5 per litre since fuel rate revision resumed on May 15 after a prolonged freeze. Petrol price was increased by Rs 2.61 a litre to Rs 102.12 per litre in Delhi from Rs 99.51. Diesel rates have been increased by Rs 2.71 to Rs 95.20 per litre from Rs 92.49, industry sources said. The hikes come amid elevated global crude oil prices and a weakening rupee, which have increased pressure on oil marketing companies' import costs.
Oil marketing companies have raised fuel prices again amid elevated crude prices, while under-recoveries narrow as West Asia tensions keep energy costs high
Petrol and diesel prices were increased by up to 91 paise per litre on Saturday, the third increase in less than 10 days. Petrol price has been increased by 87 paise in Delhi from Rs 98.64 to Rs 99.51 per litre. Diesel rates have gone up by 91 paise from Rs 91.58 to Rs 92.49. This is the third increase in rates since May 15, when state-owned oil companies started passing on the elevated energy prices arising from the West Asia conflict in a calibrated manner. Prices were hiked by Rs 3 a litre on May 15, followed by a 90 paise increase on May 19. In all, rates have gone up by almost Rs 5 per litre.
While companies have started to pass input cost rise to consumers, inflation, according to G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research has not become a major issue yet.