随着廉价原油运抵印度，汽油和柴油价格可能会下降
联邦石油和天然气部长 Hardeep Singh Puri 暗示印度消费者有望获得缓解，并表示零售汽油和柴油价格可能很快会下降。这种潜在的降价取决于目前印度炼油厂正在处理的低价原油库存的到货情况。
滞后效应：为什么价格尚未下降
在北方邦松布拉德拉举行的新闻发布会上，Puri 部长解释说，目前的零售价格反映的是早期购买的更昂贵的原油。石油营销公司 (OMCs) 目前正在处理以较高国际价格购买的库存。
“目前，各公司持有的是以较高价格购买的原油库存。当以较低价格购买的原油运抵时，燃油价格有可能下降，”Puri 表示。这种“滞后效应”意味着，尽管全球原油价格可能已经回落，但只有在新的、更便宜的货物经过精炼并分配后，成本优势才会逐步传导至加油站。
在全球波动中捍卫国内定价
尽管西亚地缘政治紧张局势加剧且霍尔木兹海峡附近出现中断，部长仍为政府对燃油定价的处理辩护。Puri 认为，与全球趋势相比，印度成功地将价格上涨控制在相对有限的范围内。他指出，在 193 个联合国成员国中，只有日本的石油价格涨幅低于印度。
为了缓冲对普通民众的影响，部长强调政府承担了巨大的财政负担。通过在 2021 年 11 月、2022 年 5 月以及最近降低中央消费税，政府实际上为汽油和柴油每升分别承担了约 ₹10 的成本。他指出，燃油价格的总涨幅被限制在约 ₹7.60，与 2022 年俄乌冲突期间出现的波动相比，这代表了一个趋于稳定的市场。
石油营销公司面临的财务压力
Despite the efforts to shield consumers, the energy sector is facing severe financial strain. Puri revealed that oil marketing companies are currently incurring losses of approximately ₹1,000 crore per day. These losses are driven by a combination of elevated crude prices and the weakening of the Indian rupee, both of which squeeze OMC margins.
Recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East had previously forced petrol and diesel prices up by roughly ₹7.5 per litre, raising concerns regarding inflation, logistics costs, and household budgets. However, the arrival of cheaper crude is expected to alleviate this pressure on both the OMCs and the end consumer.
Key Takeaways
- Price Reduction Potential: Retail fuel prices may decrease once the current stocks of expensive crude are exhausted and cheaper shipments reach refiners.
- Government Subsidy: The central government has absorbed nearly ₹10 per litre in costs through strategic excise duty cuts to protect consumers.
- OMC Financial Strain: Oil marketing companies are currently facing massive operational losses of around ₹1,000 crore daily due to global market volatility.