Summary of this article
Petrol and diesel prices remain unchanged today.
Global oil volatility continues amid West Asia tensions.
OMCs absorb fluctuations to stabilise domestic rates.
Fuel rates across the country have been rising, be it LPG, petrol, or diesel. Despite the global tensions fluctuating the crude oil markets, the supply in India has been quite stable, and a subtle rise in rates is noticed. Oil marketing companies (OMCs) revise the fuel rates every day at 6 am.
Reason Behind The Price Rise
The recent price rise for oil and gas rates is tied to the ongoing conflict in the West Asian countries. India is heavily dependent on imports to meet the country-wide fuel demand. The countries that provide India with its oil supply are closely tied to the ongoing conflict. This factor is influencing the fuel and oil prices across India.
As of March 18, 2026, the petrol rates stand at the following prices per litre,
Delhi Rs 94.77
Mumbai Rs 103.50
Kolkata Rs 105.45
Chennai Rs 100.90
Hyderabad Rs 107.50
Bengaluru Rs 102.96
Lucknow Rs 94.69
As for diesel, the state-wise rates are,
Delhi Rs 87.67
Mumbai Rs 90.03
Kolkata Rs 92.02
Chennai Rs 92.48
Hyderabad Rs 95.70
Bengaluru Rs 90.99
Lucknow Rs 87.81
The fuel prices differ from state to state due to factors like value-added tax (VAT), freight charges, and dealer commissions. However, these rates are deregulated, as they are still influenced by global crude oil prices and currency exchange rates.
Despite so much volatility seen in the international oil markets, domestic fuel prices have remained unchanged for many days now. This can be credited to oil companies absorbing price fluctuations instead of passing them on to the customers.
On a global level, crude oil prices have seen an upward trend in the price rise in the past few weeks due to the geopolitical tensions in West Asia. The rising crude prices typically trigger a rise in higher fuel costs, yet Indian consumers have not experienced a sudden, drastic jump in prices.
Consumers can check the latest petrol and diesel prices of their respective cities through SMS services, mobile apps, or official announcements made on the websites of oil companies. Prices may also vary in the very same city, as well; this is due to the local taxes and dealer margins. In essence, fuel prices on March 18, 2026, have remained steady across major Indian cities despite the global reasons affecting these rates. While international developments may eventually influence the prices in India, as of now, there is no such drastic change for consumers to be worried about.
