随着廉价原油运抵印度，汽油和柴油价格可能会下降
印度联邦石油和天然气部长 Hardeep Singh Puri 暗示印度消费者有望迎来缓解，并表示零售燃油价格可能很快会下调。降价的可能性取决于目前正在运往国内炼油厂的低价原油船队的抵达。
原油进口与零售价格之间的滞后
虽然国际原油价格已经回落，但 Puri 部长解释说，这种红利不会立即反映在加油站的价格上。目前，石油营销公司 (OMCs) 正在处理以较高历史价格购买的原油库存。
“目前，各公司仍持有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，燃油价格有可能下调，”Puri 在北方邦松布德拉 (Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh) 的新闻发布会上表示。这种供应链滞后意味着，即使全球市场趋于稳定，炼油厂也必须先消耗完昂贵的库存，才能将廉价原油带来的成本优势传递给终端消费者。
政府干预与全球对比
在为当前的定价结构辩护时，部长强调了政府在缓冲全球波动和地缘政治紧张局势（如霍尔木兹海峡局势）影响方面所发挥的作用。他指出，莫迪政府通过在 2021 年 11 月、2022 年 5 月以及最近通过降低中央消费税，积极承担了成本，实际上为汽油和柴油每升分担了约 ₹10 的负担。
Puri 提供了一个对比视角来证明印度价格稳定性的合理性，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。他断言，燃油价格的实际涨幅仅限于约 ₹7.60，与 2022 年俄乌冲突期间的剧烈波动相比，国内价格保持了相对稳定。
石油营销公司面临的挑战
Despite the efforts to shield consumers, the financial strain on OMCs remains significant. The Minister revealed that oil marketing companies are currently incurring losses of approximately ₹1,000 crore per day. This pressure is compounded by the recent rise in fuel prices—which have increased by roughly ₹7.5 per litre since the onset of the Middle East crisis—and a weakening rupee, which makes imported crude more expensive.
The fluctuation in fuel costs continues to pose a risk to inflation and logistics costs, making the arrival of cheaper crude a critical factor for stabilizing the broader economy and easing the pressure on household budgets and supply chains.
Key Takeaways
- Price Reduction Potential: Retail petrol and diesel prices may decrease once refiners begin processing the newer, cheaper batches of crude oil currently en route to India.
- Government Subsidy Role: The central government has absorbed nearly ₹10 per litre in excise duties to prevent extreme price hikes during global energy disruptions.
- OMC Financial Strain: Oil marketing companies are currently facing significant financial pressure, reporting daily losses of around ₹1,000 crore due to global volatility and import costs.