**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 38 regarding the prices of petroleum and natural gas products for the period of April to November (FY 2025-26). It provides details on India's import bill, petroleum product-wise imports, and the government's policies on petrol and diesel pricing. The question was answered on January 29th, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Import Bill Analysis:**
* India's import bill for oil and gas increased by 2.5% in volume terms compared to the same period in the last financial year.
* However, the value of the import bill decreased by approximately 12% (in US$ Million).
* **Petroleum Product-Wise Imports (April-November 2025):**
* Details are provided for imports of various products, including LPG, Bitumen, Fuel Oil, HSD/Gasoil, LOBS/Lube Oil, Naphtha, Others, and Petcoke.
* Includes Quantity (MMT) and Value (Million USD) for each product.
* Grand Total Quantity: 33670 MMT
* Grand Total Value: 14661 Million USD
* **Petrol and Diesel Pricing:**
* Prices are market determined by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
* Pricing decisions are based on factors like crude oil prices, international product prices, exchange rates, tax structures, inland freight, and insurance.
* Government took steps to insulate citizens from high international prices.
* These steps include diversifying crude import basket, windfall taxes, Universal Service Obligation, increasing ethanol blending.
* PSU OMCs rationalised intra-state freight, benefiting remote consumers by reducing petrol and diesel prices.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Consumers**
* **Impact:**
* Affected by the market-driven prices of petrol and diesel.
* Benefit from government initiatives to insulate them from high international prices.
* Consumers in remote areas benefit from reduced petrol and diesel prices due to intra-state freight rationalization.
* **Action Required:**
* No specific action is mentioned, but consumers are implicitly expected to adapt to market prices while benefiting from government efforts to stabilize costs.
**Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)**
* **Impact:**
* They make decisions on prices, based on various factors like crude oil prices, international product prices, exchange rates, tax structures, inland freight, and insurance.
* Expected to carry out government policies such as intra-state freight rationalisation and increasing ethanol blending.
* **Action Required:**
* Need to continue making pricing decisions based on market factors and in line with government policies.
**Government of India**
* **Impact:**
* It has responsibility to insulate citizens from international prices and ensure domestic availability of fuel.
* **Action Required:**
* Continue monitoring and implementing policies to stabilize prices and ensure availability, such as diversifying the crude import basket, imposing windfall taxes, and promoting ethanol blending.
Key Entities Referenced
Prices of Petroleum and Natural Gas: Subject of the parliamentary question and main topic of discussion.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: The ministry responsible for answering the question regarding petroleum and natural gas prices and policies.
Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs): Entities responsible for determining petrol and diesel prices based on market conditions.
Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (POL) Depots: Supply points for petroleum products, location relative to which affects the pricing of petrol and diesel.
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 38
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29th JANUARY, 2026
PRICES OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTS
†38. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV :
SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA:
पेट(cid:332)ोिलयम और (cid:366)ाकृ ितक गैस मं(cid:361)ी
Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state: -
(a) whether India's petroleum and natural gas import bill has decreased during the period from April to
November (FY 2025-26), despite increased volumes, due to a significant drop in global oiland gas
prices and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the crude oil volumes increased by about 2.4 percent while the total bill reduced by more
than twelve percent;
(c) if so, the details thereof, petroleum product-wise since 1st April 2025 to till date;
(d) whether the Government is likely to pass on the benefits of lower global and import prices to
Indian consumers; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
पेट(cid:332)ोिलयम और (cid:366)ाकृ ितक गैस मं(cid:361)ालय म(cid:336) रा(cid:475)मं(cid:361)ी
((cid:373)ी सुरेश गोपी)
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI SURESH GOPI)
(a) & (b) India’s i mport Bill for oil and gas during the period April-November (FY 2025-26)
increased by 2.5% in volume terms with respect to the same period inthe last financial year,
whereas in value terms (in US$ Million), it decreased by ~12%.
(c) Based on the DGCIS and Oil & Gas Companies, the details of petroleum product-wise imports
during period of April-November 2025 are as below: -
Products Quantity (MMT) Value (Million USD)
LPG 14614 7780
BITUMEN 1854 719
FUEL OIL 4029 1597
HSD/ GASOIL 18 16
LOBS/ LUBE OIL 2126 1841
Naphtha 792 459
OTHERS 1885 1132
PETCOKE 8352 1118
Grand Total 33670 14661(d) to (e) Prices of Petrol and Diesel are market determined and Public Sector Oil Marketing
Companies (OMCs) take decisions on their pricing based on various factors, which include crude
oil prices, international product prices, exchange rates, tax structures, inland freight, insurance etc.
Government of India took several other steps to insulate common citizens from high international
prices, which included diversifying the crude import basket, windfall taxes on export of petroleum
products, invoking the provisions of Universal Service Obligation to ensure availability of petrol &
diesel in domestic market, increasing the blending of ethanol in petrol,etc. PSU OMCs have carried
out an intra-state freight rationalisation. This has benefitted consumers located at remote areas, far
from Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (POL) Depots in the form of reduced Petrol and Diesel prices in
remote parts within the states. This initiative has also reduced the difference between the maximum
and minimum retail prices of Petrol orDiesel within a state.
******