India has lifted restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel imposed this month amid disruptions to global supply chains due to the war in the Middle East, the government said in an order on Monday.
The restrictions will be lifted on July 1, it said. India had barred commercial fuel buyers from purchasing petrol and diesel from retail stations and capped daily diesel purchases to prevent local shortages.
The restrictions, which came into force in June, were aimed at ensuring equitable availability of petrol and diesel, preventing diversion and hoarding, and maintaining uninterrupted fuel supplies at fair prices.
With the situation stabilising, the curbs have now been withdrawn, allowing commercial consumers such as transport operators and industrial users to once again purchase fuel from retail outlets without quantity restrictions.
The June order was prompted by a widening price gap between retail fuel and bulk supplies. Commercial consumers, including trucking companies, had increasingly shifted purchases to retail outlets operated by state-run oil marketing companies, where diesel was significantly cheaper than at bulk supply points.