A petrol pump attendant picks up a nozzle to refuel a vehicle at an Indian Oil fuel station in Varanasi on March 10, 2026. The oil price spike caused by the war in the Middle East has sparked exasperation at petrol pumps around Asia, where many economies are heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports. (Photo by Niharika KULKARNI / AFP)India has reduced taxes on diesel and petrol, the government announced on Friday, as the Middle East war continues to disrupt global energy supplies. “In view of the West Asia crisis, the central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption has been reduced”, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a statement, referring to the Middle East war that began late last month. She also announced charges on exports of diesel and aviation turbine fuel at 21.5 rupees ($0.23) and 29.5 rupees ($0.31) per litre.

Source: Punch March 27, 2026 09:26 UTC