Petrol and diesel rates have not been lowered in India since May 2022 even though international oil prices are down 25% from June 2022 peak. Analysts believe ‘politics is at play’.
Fuel prices were first kept static to protect consumers from rise in oil prices, and then for OMCs to recover losses. With OMCs in profit now, daily pricing mechanism can be restored.
India has paid Russia nearly $20 billion for oil in just seven months, more than what it paid in the last ten years combined. It has only reaped higher profits of a few Indian companies.
European Union ban on Russian crude imports from 5 Dec will drive European refiners to buy more Middle East oil, putting them in competition with Asian buyers.
State-run processors — Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum & Hindustan Petroleum — are 'reaching out' to term-contract suppliers, such as Saudi Arabia & Iraq, for extra barrels, buying on spot market.
Dealers claim OMCs telling them to put up hoardings promoting govt schemes bearing Modi's photo. OMCs deny the charge, say move only to promote schemes
UCBs accounted for 1.8% of total industry credit in September 2025—down from 2.2% five yrs ago—showing that they are losing ground to faster PSU banks.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
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