NewPARA The hike follows a July 1 reversal that cut prices by the same amount, marking the first adjustment by a private retailer in more than two years. Earlier this year, on March 26, Nayara had already increased prices to Rs 100.71 for petrol and Rs 91.31 for diesel, before the July cut returned them to near state‑run levels. NewPARA Industry analysts cite a sharp rise in international crude and refined‑product costs as the driver. ICRA warned that oil marketing companies were losing about Rs 530 crore a day in September, with negative marketing margins of roughly Rs 8 per litre on petrol and Rs 9 on diesel. NewPARA The government has already stepped in, telling private retailers not to cap sales after Nayara and Jio‑bp restricted volumes at some pumps amid losses. The directive, issued on October 1, aims to curb industrial consumers from diverting cheaper retail fuel to their own fleets. NewPARA With private pump prices now higher, the price differential between the 7,100 Nayara outlets and the 90‑plus‑percent state‑owned network could grow, feeding into freight and operating costs that ripple into household inflation. NewPARA Next, market watchers expect further adjustments as OMCs navigate margins that break even only when crude sits between $85 and $90 per barrel. Nayara’s latest move signals that the company will likely keep prices above market‑linked costs until the global price curve steadies.