New Delhi, 31 May

The government has halved windfall gains tax on export of petrol to Rs 1.5 litre, while reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 13.5/litre and aviation turbine fuel to Rs 9.5/litre effective 1 June. The Union Finance Ministry, in a notification, said road and infrastructure cess will be nil on export of petrol and diesel.

Also, there is no change in the existing duty rates on petrol and diesel cleared for domestic consumption.

The special additional excise duty (SAED) on petrol at Rs 3/litre was imposed on 16 May and the fortnightly review slashed it to Rs 1.5/litre from 1 June. The duty on export of diesel has been reduced to Rs 13.5 per litre, from Rs 16.5 per litre, and aviation turbine fuel to Rs 9.5 per litre, from Rs 16 per litre from 1 June.

The government had on 26 March imposed an export duty of Rs 21.50 a litre on diesel, and Rs 29.5 a litre on ATF. In the review on 11 April, the duties were hiked to Rs 55.5/litre and Rs 42/litre. In the 30 April review, they were cut to Rs 23/litre and Rs 33/litre, and further slashed to Rs 16.5/litre and Rs 16/litre on 16 May.

The windfall tax was levied to increase domestic availability of the fuel amid the US-Israel and Iran war. It was also aimed at not allowing exporters to take undue advantage due to price differences as globally crude oil prices had risen since the beginning of the war.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, triggering sweeping retaliation from Tehran. Crude oil prices have remained above USD 100 per barrel over the past week, from the about USD 73 per barrel before the war.

The windfall tax was to ensure domestic availability of petroleum products by disincentivising exports against the backdrop of the West Asia crisis, the ministry said.