India held out as long as it could. On Friday, the pressure from surging global crude oil prices, aggravated by the ongoing West Asia conflict, finally reached the pump. Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre across the country, ending a period of relative stability that had kept retail fuel prices largely insulated from global volatility, according to PTI.

In Delhi, petrol moved from Rs 94.77 to Rs 97.77 per litre. Diesel rose from Rs 87.67 to Rs 90.67. Across other metros, the increases ranged between Rs 2.83 and Rs 3.29 per litre, with petrol now priced at Rs 108.74 in Kolkata, Rs 106.68 in Mumbai and Rs 103.67 in Chennai.

Diesel, too, climbed sharply. Kolkata now stands at Rs 95.13 per litre, Mumbai at Rs 93.14 and Chennai at Rs 95.25.

Panic at the pumps

The revision did not catch everyone off guard. Even before the official announcement, reports of a possible steep hike had already sent consumers rushing to petrol stations across the country. Long queues formed at outlets, and "No Fuel" boards went up at several pumps as stations struggled to keep up with the sudden surge in demand. Many consumers opted for full-tank refills, fearing prices could climb further, with speculation circulating that rates might rise by anywhere between Rs 5 and Rs 20 per litre from May 15.

An India Today ground report covering 15 petrol pumps across Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha and Bihar captured the scale of the anxiety, unusually high footfall, hurried fill-ups and a palpable sense that this revision may not be the last.

Effective Friday, retail selling prices of petrol and diesel in four Metro cities are as under:

MS (petrol) prices (in Rs per litre):

Delhi 97.77 (+3.00)

Kolkata 108.74 (+3.29)

Mumbai 106.68 (+3.14)

Chennai 103.67 (+2.83)

HSD (diesel) prices (in Rs per litre):

Delhi 90.67 (+3.00)

Kolkata 95.13 (+3.11)

Mumbai 93.14 (+3.11)

Chennai 95.25 (+2.86).

(With inputs from PTI)

Published on: May 15, 2026 7:10 AM IST