NEW DELHI. Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in India are incurring significant losses on fuel sales as global crude oil prices rise above $100 per barrel amid the West Asia conflict, while domestic retail prices remain unchanged. According to Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, OMCs are facing under-recoveries of about Rs 24 per litre on petrol and Rs 104 per litre on diesel. The government has reduced excise duty to shield consumers, with a portion of the burden being absorbed by the companies.
Despite the sharp increase in Brent crude prices from around $65 to over $100 per barrel, fuel supply across the country remains stable, with adequate inventories secured for the next 60 days. Domestic refineries are operating at full capacity, and there is no shortage of sulfur. The government has also assured uninterrupted natural gas supply and is promoting expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) infrastructure, along with an additional 10% commercial LPG allocation to states supporting PNG growth.
