The Centre cut the windfall gains tax on petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) exports starting September 16.
For diesel, the special additional excise duty (SAED) — including road and infrastructure cess — drops to Rs 20 per litre from Rs 25. ATF export duty falls to Rs 15 per litre, down from Rs 19. Petrol export duty sees the sharpest relative cut, sliding to Rs 0.5 per litre from Rs 1.5 in the previous fortnight. The Finance Ministry issued the notification confirming these rates apply immediately from the 16th.
This isn't a routine adjustment. The government first imposed export duties on diesel and ATF on March 27, revising them every two weeks to counter surging global crude prices driven by West Asia instability. Petrol joined the levy list on May 16. The goal: stop exporters from pocketing windfall profits while domestic shelves empty.
Domestic duty rates remain unchanged. No impact on pump prices for Indian consumers. The tax specifically targets shipments leaving Indian ports, a lever used to keep fuel within borders when international markets spike.
With tensions in West Asia still simmering, the next fortnight's revision could see duties rise again if global crude prices climb. For now, exporters get a breather, and domestic availability remains the priority.