The government has raised the export levy on diesel to ₹25 per litre from ₹24 and on petrol to ₹1.5 per litre from zero, tightening curbs on overseas fuel sales as the West Asia crisis continues to strain global crude and product markets.
The revised rates will take effect from September 1, according to a finance ministry notification. The special additional excise duty (SAED), along with road and infrastructure cess, on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) exports has, however, been marginally reduced to ₹19 per litre from ₹19.5.
The latest move keeps the burden on diesel exports elevated while bringing petrol back under an export levy, as the government seeks to safeguard domestic fuel availability and discourage refiners from diverting supplies to overseas markets amid stronger international prices.
There is no change in the existing duty rates on petrol and diesel cleared for domestic consumption, the ministry said.
The export levy was first imposed on diesel and ATF on March 27, after the escalation of the West Asia conflict, and has since been revised every fortnight. Petrol exports were brought under the levy from May 16.
The windfall tax was introduced to improve domestic availability of petroleum products during the supply disruption and to prevent exporters from capturing excessive gains arising from the widening difference between domestic and global prices.