Petrol-Diesel: The Country Has Ample Fuel Supply—So Why Are Prices Still Rising? Indian Oil Reveals the Truth

Petrol-Diesel Supply: The trend of rising petrol and diesel prices began on May 15. Today marks the third time in just 10 days that fuel prices have been hiked. This has caused alarm among the public.

Petrol-Diesel: Today, Saturday, May 23, petrol and diesel prices across the country were raised once again. Petrol has become costlier by 87 paise, while the price of diesel has seen an increase of 91 paise. This is the third time in the last 10 days that fuel prices have been hiked, leaving people suddenly taken aback.

Long queues are being witnessed at petrol pumps across various parts of the country, as people gather at fuel stations to get their vehicle tanks filled to capacity. The sight of these growing crowds is further fueling panic among the public. In response to this situation, Indian Oil has now issued a clarification.

So, Why Are Prices Rising?

The company has stated that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel in the country; any difficulties observed in certain locations are merely temporary. According to Indian Oil, the ongoing harvest season has led to a surge in the demand for diesel. Furthermore, due to higher prices at some private petrol pumps, customers have shifted their patronage toward government-run pumps.

Large institutional buyers are also currently sourcing their fuel from PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) pumps, as the rates for bulk supplies—which are pegged to international market prices—are currently quite high. Consequently, demand has surged suddenly in specific regions due to this combination of factors.

Supply Remains Normal Amidst Rising Demand

Indian Oil reported that between May 1 and May 22, 2026, the company's petrol sales rose by 14 percent compared to the previous year, while diesel sales increased by approximately 18 percent. Despite this exceptionally high demand, the company has successfully maintained fuel supplies across the entire country. The company operates over 42,000 retail outlets nationwide, and stock levels at the majority of these pumps remain normal.