Premium petrol prices hiked by Rs 2; normal petrol rate unchanged

This comes amid disrupted global energy supplies owing to West Asia conflict.

New Delhi: The price of premium or higher-grade petrol price on Friday was increased by Rs 2 per litre while the rate of bulk diesel sold to industrial users was hiked by about Rs 22 a litre, reflecting the spike in global oil prices amid conflict in the Middle-East.

However, the price of normal petrol and diesel remains unchanged.

According to industry sources, premium 95-Octane petrol price in Delhi has been increased from Rs 99.89 per litre to Rs 101.89 in the national capital. Besides, bulk or industrial diesel prices were hiked from Rs 87.67 per litre to Rs 109.59 in Delhi.

This comes as international oil prices touched USD 119 per barrel on Thursday on intensifying Iran war, before falling back to around USD 108 a barrel.

In Delhi, a litre of normal petrol continues to cost Rs 94.77 while the same grade diesel comes for Rs 87.67 a litre.

Normal petrol typically has an octane rating of 91-92 and is suitable for standard engines, offering adequate performance for everyday driving. Premium petrol, on the other hand, has a higher octane rating of 95-98, making it ideal for high-performance or high-compression engines.

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said at a media briefing that there is no increase in prices of normal petrol and diesel.

"Some increase is reported in the premium category which hardly makes up for 2-4 per cent of the entire petrol (sold in the country)," she said. "There is no increase in price for the common man.

Pricing decisions, she said, are taken by oil companies independently as petrol and diesel pricing was deregulated in 2010 and 2014 respectively. "It (pricing) is decided by oil marketing companies. Government does not regulate petrol and diesel prices," she added.

The government is closely monitoring global oil markets, but there is no immediate plan to raise retail fuel prices. Oil marketing companies are expected to absorb the current cost pressure for the time being.

"Our priority is to make energy available to all consumers, which we have been doing all through the crisis. Till now we have not increased the prices," she added.

Retail petrol and diesel prices have been frozen since April 2022, with fuel retailers like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) absorbing losses when crude prices are high and making profits when rates are low.

This meant that when global fuel prices went up in response to elevated crude prices, prices were stable in India. And when softening of crude prices pushed down fuel rates globally, rates in India remained unchanged.

The government said it wants to continue to shield consumers, and the same policy will continue unless there is a huge spike in crude prices.

India imports 88 per cent of its crude oil needs and roughly half of its natural gas requirement. These mostly come via the Strait of Hormuz. Following the US and Israeli attacks on Iranian government, military and nuclear facilities, Iran warned shipping away from the strait, and insurers withdrew coverage, effectively halting tanker movements.

Prices had risen to USD 119 per barrel in June 2022 in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That year, oil companies had nominal profits, but in FY24, they posted record Rs 81,000 crore profit, helping make up for past dent in margins.

This year, the three companies have posted Rs 23,743 crore profit in the December quarter alone.

(With PTI inputs)