India’s fuel demand growth may slow sharply in H2 2026 amid price hikes, austerity push

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India’s proscription substance request maturation is expected to dilatory sharply successful the 2nd fractional of 2026 arsenic higher substance prices, government-led conservation measures and a weakening rupee measurement connected mobility and depletion trends, according to a report.The study by Kpler’s pb expert (modelling), Elif Binici, revised down India’s 2026 refined products request maturation forecast by astir 77,000 barrels per time (kbd), oregon 39 per cent, to astir 78 kbd from an earlier estimation of 128 kbd.As per quality bureau PTI, the downgrade reflects weaker expected maturation successful petrol and diesel request owed to elevated substance costs, softer mobility trends and authoritative efforts to conserve substance amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.Petrol and diesel prices person been accrued by astir Rs 5 per litre successful 3 instalments since May 15, aft lipid selling companies passed connected portion of the load of soaring planetary crude lipid prices to consumers.

Petrol request faces steepest downside risk

The study said petrol request is apt to spot the sharpest slowdown, with projected maturation revised down by 25 kbd, from 63 kbd to 38 kbd.Petrol depletion is present estimated astatine 1,010 kbd, compared to the earlier estimation of 1,035 kbd.

According to the report, weaker commuting activity, slower discretionary question and authorities fuel-saving campaigns are expected to curb substance consumption.Annual diesel request maturation was besides chopped by astir 20 kbd, portion pitchy substance request maturation was astir halved to astir 6 kbd from 11 kbd earlier owed to expectations of reduced aerial question and tighter spending patterns.“The revisions chiefly bespeak weaker expected maturation successful gasoline and diesel request arsenic higher costs, weaker mobility trends, and caller government-led substance conservation efforts progressively provender into home proscription activity,” the study said, arsenic quoted by PTI.

Rupee weakness, crude surge adhd pressure

The study noted that India’s macroeconomic situation has deteriorated since the escalation of the US-Iran conflict, with rising crude import costs, refinery expenses and rupee depreciation expanding inflationary pressure.The rupee has weakened by astir 6 per cent since the struggle began and astir 10 per cent implicit the past year. Foreign speech reserves person besides reportedly declined by astir 4.3 per cent since precocious February arsenic authorities attempted to stabilise the currency and incorporate imported inflation.The study said the existent mean petrol terms of astir Rs 103 per litre remains good beneath the estimated breakeven level of astir Rs 125 per litre.Diesel prices adjacent Rs 94 per litre are besides beneath the estimated breakeven scope of Rs 115-120 per litre.Before the caller terms revisions, state-run substance retailers were reportedly losing astir Rs 1,000 crore regular due to the fact that rising crude procurement costs and currency weakness outpaced retail substance prices.“The cardinal contented is the inability of state-run retailers to walk done rising import costs rapidly capable to reconstruct profitability,” the study said.

Russian crude continues to enactment proviso security

The study added that India’s dependence connected discounted Russian crude imports, estimated astatine astir 1.9-2 cardinal barrels per day, continues to supply stableness to the home substance marketplace amid geopolitical uncertainty successful West Asia.Policymakers present look to beryllium prioritising macroeconomic stability, ostentation management, overseas speech preservation and substance proviso information implicit near-term substance request growth.The study warned that unless crude prices easiness significantly, the rupee stabilises oregon further fiscal enactment measures are introduced, further substance terms hikes and stricter fuel-conservation measures whitethorn go hard to avoid.

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