State-run oil marketing companies raised petrol and diesel prices on Monday, marking the fourth increase in approximately 10 days [1, 8].
The frequent price hikes place a direct financial burden on consumers and transport operators, potentially driving up the cost of essential goods across India.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum implemented the latest increase, which ranged between ₹2.61 and ₹2.8 per litre [1, 3]. Specifically, petrol prices rose by ₹2.61 and diesel by ₹2.71 per litre [3]. In Delhi, the cost of petrol reached ₹102.12 per litre, while diesel stood at ₹95.20 per litre [3].
This latest adjustment follows a series of hikes since May 15. The cumulative increase over the last 10 to 11 days is estimated between ₹7 and ₹7.5 per litre [1, 4, 5, 9].
Company officials said the price increases were due to global crude-oil volatility and the ongoing war in Iran [2, 6]. The state-run firms also said there was a need to recover financial losses that had been accumulating for several months [2, 6].
The rapid rise in fuel costs has drawn criticism from political leaders. Rahul Gandhi said, "Poll promises, then attacks on public's pocket" [3].
“Petrol prices in Delhi reached ₹102.12 per litre”
The decision by state-run oil companies to pass volatility costs to consumers suggests a shift away from absorbing losses to stabilize the domestic market. With petrol crossing the ₹100 threshold in the capital, the government faces increased pressure to manage inflation as fuel costs typically trigger a ripple effect on food and logistics pricing.
