Petrol, diesel prices rise again in May 2026; Delhi at ₹99.51

What changed on Saturday

Indian state-owned fuel retailers raised petrol and diesel prices again on Saturday, marking the third increase this month, according to fuel dealers cited by Reuters. In New Delhi, petrol was increased by ₹0.87 per litre to ₹99.51, while diesel rose by ₹0.91 per litre to ₹92.49. Dealers said the latest move is part of efforts to recover losses linked to elevated crude oil prices. Reuters linked the pressure on crude to the Iran war and the broader jump in global prices that followed the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The adjustments are small in absolute terms, but they extend a sequence of revisions that began earlier this month.

Delhi’s new pump prices

The revised Delhi retail prices put petrol close to the ₹100 per litre mark and lift diesel deeper into the ₹90-plus range. The reported change was ₹0.87 for petrol and ₹0.91 for diesel, or just under ₹1 per litre each. Dealers described this as another step in a series of hikes that, in aggregate, has made fuel roughly ₹5 per litre more expensive over the month. Reuters also noted that India was among the last major economies to raise retail fuel prices after the spike in crude.

May has now seen three upward revisions

This month’s sequence matters because it breaks a long period where pump prices were largely stable. Reuters said the first hike on May 15 was India’s first in four years for retail consumers. Other reports included in the provided text said the May 15 revision involved a sharp ₹3 per litre rise in both petrol and diesel. The same material also referred to a second increase of around 90 paise per litre earlier in the month, followed by Saturday’s increase of ₹0.87 and ₹0.91.

A quick timeline of the reported moves

The figures below reflect the specific numbers mentioned in the provided reports and show how Delhi prices moved during May.

Why the oil marketing companies moved prices

Dealers told Reuters the hikes are aimed at recouping losses as crude oil prices rose. The context offered in the reports was the Iran conflict and its impact on global crude prices, including heightened supply concerns in West Asia. One section of the provided text also referenced worries around the Strait of Hormuz. India is the world’s third-largest importer and consumer of oil, making domestic retail pricing sensitive to global crude swings.

How this compares with other metro prices mentioned

Besides Delhi, the provided material listed revised metro prices after the May 15 hike. Those numbers help show the variation across cities even when nationwide changes occur.

Policy backdrop: a long freeze before this month

The reports said retail fuel prices had remained largely stable since April 2022, with only limited exceptions. The material also noted a one-time reduction of ₹2 per litre in March 2024. It further stated that daily fuel price revisions were halted in 2022 to protect consumers from volatility in global crude markets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Against that backdrop, the restart of upward revisions in May is significant for consumers and for investors tracking state-run oil marketing companies.

What it means for households and businesses

Even sub-₹1 per litre increases can add up over multiple refuelling cycles, especially for commercial users and high-mileage consumers. The reports highlighted that fuel has become roughly ₹5 per litre more expensive over the three increases this month, implying a noticeable jump in monthly fuel bills. Transport and logistics costs can also be influenced when diesel prices climb, given diesel’s role in freight movement. The reports did not quantify inflation effects, but the renewed frequency of revisions is itself a change from the stability seen since 2022.

Other fuel prices mentioned: CNG changes

Alongside petrol and diesel, the supplied text also mentioned changes in CNG prices. In Delhi, CNG was reported to have been raised by ₹2 per kg from ₹77.09 per kg to ₹79.09 per kg. The same text said CNG was also raised in Mumbai by ₹2 per kg a day earlier. These references add to the broader picture of retail fuel-price adjustments during the period of higher crude.

Market context and what to watch next

Reuters framed India as one of the last major economies to raise retail fuel prices after crude surged globally, highlighting how quickly geopolitics can pass through to consumer prices. The reports also indicated this month’s changes are being used to recover losses caused by elevated crude prices. What happens next will depend on crude movements and whether state-run retailers continue to adjust pump prices in the coming days, after having restarted revisions this month following the May 15 increase.