Central Government reduces excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre each and imposes export duties on diesel and ATF.

Key facts

• Central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption reduced by ₹10 per litre each on 26 March 2026.
• Export duty on diesel set at ₹21.5 per litre and on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) at ₹29.5 per litre.
• International crude price rose from around $70 per barrel to about $122 per barrel in the past month.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated the changes were notified to Parliament.
• Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri noted global fuel price increases of 20-50 per cent across regions.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India is engaging global partners to ensure stable energy supplies amid the West Asia crisis.
• Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal stated the measures prioritise domestic supply and stabilise the economy.
• Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicated the government absorbed fiscal pressure to shield poor and middle-income families.
• Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah described the duty reduction as consumer-focused relief during global fuel shortages.