Pakistan has significantly increased the price of high-octane fuel, impacting luxury vehicle owners, while also seeing increases in petrol, diesel, and airline fares due to rising global oil prices.
Despite international crude oil rates crossing USD 100 per barrel due to Middle East tensions, the Indian government plans to maintain current petrol and diesel prices, ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply across the country.
Private bus operators in Sri Lanka warn of potential service disruptions and a nationwide strike due to significant fuel price increases, impacting public transport and raising concerns about inflation.
The recent fuel price hike, especially of the diesel, will increase the expenditure bill for the Indian Railways by about Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion).
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA and Left Parties, including the CPI-M and CPI, have organised a 'Bharat Bandh' on Monday to protest against rising inflation and the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
A Group of Ministers will take the decision in June.
Normal life was partially affected in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal on Friday. An opposition-sponsored state-wide bandh was called in Andhra Pradesh to protest against fuel price hike while West Bengal was in the grip of a bandh for the second consecutive day after the opposition Trinamool Congress and its ally the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) enforced the shut down to protest the fuel price hike.
The protesters led by the state unit Bharatiya Janata Party chief C P Thakur burnt the effigy of the prime minister at the busy Dak Bungalow roundabout.
Jet fuel (ATF) price on Wednesday was hiked by 4 per cent in line with firming international oil prices but petrol and diesel rates remained on freeze for a record 10th month in running. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was increased by Rs 4,218 per kilolitre, or 3.9 per cent, to Rs 1,12,356.77 per kl in the national capital, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. The increase follows three rounds of reduction since November.
Domestic LPG and commercial cylinder prices in India have seen a significant increase, driven by rising global energy costs linked to the conflict in West Asia. This marks the second price hike in less than a year, impacting households and businesses.
The GoM meet on fuel price hike remained inconclusive. The ministers evaluated various options of fuel hike but failed to arrive on a decision.
The demonstration was staged at the Alka Talkies Square in the city where the women lit the earthen stove fire using wood and kerosene and offered the tea without milk to the bystanders, even as party workers raised anti-government slogans denouncing the fuel price hike.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
The Planning Commission said the decision of oil marketing companies to raise petrol price by Rs 3.14 per litre is a good news and will provide credibility to the economic reforms process.
The jet fuel rate will go up by Rs 104 per kilolitre in Delhi to Rs 32,303, an IOC official said. The increase comes on the back of a 1.8 per cent hike in rates on May 16. On May 1, state-run oil firms marginally reduced the price by one per cent, which had brought the rates in Delhi down to Rs 31,614.51 per kl. In Mumbai, home to the nation's busiest airport, the rate will go up from Rs 33,138 per kl to Rs 33,261 per kl.
Petrol is currently sold at a loss of Rs 6.68 per litre and diesel at Rs 5.81 per litre. Naik said the Vajpayee government had given Navratna oil firms the freedom to decide fuel prices.
The AIMTC, which had gone on strikes to protest diesel price hikes in the past, said it will hold a meeting of its national members on July 12 to chalk out its future course of action.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Thursday said that he favoured a hike in the fuel prices to offset the increase in international crude prices. "The only viable strategy is to pass on the subsidy (oil) burden to the consumers, while providing targeted subsidy to the needy. And if we do not do it, investments in social sectors will be affected," he said.
About 50,000 truckers, most of whom are single-truck owners, could be thrown off their businesses due to the recent fuel price hike. "Already the vehicle supply on the road is higher than the requirement. "With the fuel price hike, fleet owners will look to cut down fleet size wherever needed and due to this, small single-truck owners could be at the receiving end," Ashok Goyal, managing director at BLR Logistiks (I) Ltd said. The company has a fleet of 500 vehicles of all types-small, medium and large with pan-India presence.
It constitutes over 40 per cent of an airline's operating costs.
Several members had moved adjournment motions to raise the issue, but Speaker Meira Kumar said she has not accepted the demand.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum raised the aviation turbine fuel price by Rs 585 per kilolitre in Delhi to Rs 32,199 with effect from midnight tonight, an IOC official said. The increase comes on the back of a marginally one per cent reduction effected on May 1, which had brought the rates in Delhi down to Rs 31,614.51 per kl.
Jet fuel or ATF price on Tuesday was hiked by a steep 8.5 per cent - the second increase in a month, while commercial cooking gas rate was cut by Rs 100 per cylinder in line with divergent trends in international benchmarks. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was increased by 7,728.38 per kilolitre, or 8.5 per cent, in the national capital to Rs 98,508.26 per kl, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Rates, which vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT, have been increased on firming up of global rates that followed four months of decline.
Air India and Air India Express are introducing a fuel surcharge on domestic and international flights due to rising jet fuel prices, impacting travel costs for passengers.
While jet fuel price was increased by Rs 2, subsidised LPG price has been hiked by Rs 4.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder. Non-subsidised LPG to cost Rs 93 more.
According to police, CPI-M legislator K Bhimrao and other party supporters were arrested from Guindy railway station in Chennai.
According to police, CPI-M legislator K Bhimrao and other party supporters were arrested from Guindy railway station in Chennai.
The demonstration was staged at the Alka Talkies Square in Pune where the women lit the earthen stove fire using wood and kerosene and offered the tea without milk to the bystanders, even as party workers raised anti-government slogans denouncing the fuel price hike.
Angry over the 'steep hike' in fuel prices, the United Progressive Alliance's Left allieson Wednesday demanded a review of the decision as it announced a week-long nationwide agitation to protest the "unjustified burden" imposed on the common man.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
The government on Sunday ruled out rolling back increase in fuel prices, even as the Opposition National Democratic Alliance called for an all-India bandh on Monday to protest the price hike and rising inflation.
Jet fuel prices were on Thursday hiked by 3.8 per cent, the second increase in rates in as many months.
On Thursday, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora had also informed Parliament that the government under instruction from United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is not proposing any fuel price increase despite crude nearing $100 a barrel mark. Crude oil prices have risen by almost 50 per cent since the UPA government assumed office, but only a fifth of that has been passed on to the customers.
The state-owned oil firms on Wednesday hiked jet fuel prices by a huge 3.6 per cent to Rs 46,876.58 per kl, making it the fifth straight increase in rates since October when international crude oil prices started rising.
BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has criticised the West Bengal government over high fuel taxes and alleged security lapses, particularly concerning women's safety and border control.
On the hike in fuel prices, she accused the government of profiteering and said it is turning a disaster into an opportunity to fill its coffers. She also alleged that the government is breaking the back of the poor, the farmers, and the middle class due to its 'insensitivity'.
Party leader Jayalalithaa said protests would also be held in states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka and Puducherry, where her party was functioning.
The Saudi and Iraq offer to replace Iranian crude supplies comes with a catch: Higher prices for the same quality of crude. The new government will face a tough decision over fuel price hike, says Aveek Sen.
A Group of Ministers is likely to consider this week a marginal hike in petrol and diesel prices and a cut in excise duty on auto fuels to cut the Rs 7,840 crore (Rs 78.40 billion) loss public sector oil firms incur every month.
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