Petrol, Diesel prices today, May 20: Fuel prices up again! Check new rates in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai

Fuel prices across India rose yet again on May 19 in a second hike after petrol and diesel rates were hiked in India by ₹3 per litre across various cities on Friday. The hike comes as global crude markets remain volatile due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia and disruption of traffic at the Strait of Hormuz. 

Oil companies revised retail rates upward on Monday for the second time in one week, with petrol in New Delhi climbing by 87 paise to Rs 98.64 per litre and diesel rising by 91 paise to Rs 91.58.

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Prices remain higher in Mumbai, where petrol is selling at ₹107.59 per litre and diesel at about ₹94.08 per litre. Petrol prices in Hyderabad have now crossed the ₹111 per litre mark. Diesel is also nearing the ₹100 mark, as it reaches ₹99.95 in Hyderabad.

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Fuel prices in key cities (May 19)

City	Petrol (₹/litre)	Diesel (₹/litre)
Delhi	98.64	91.58
Hyderabad	111.88	99.95
Kolkata	109.70	96.07
Mumbai	107.59	94.08
Bengaluru	107.16	95.04
Chennai	104.92	96.54

Check latest diesel prices here

What drives petrol and diesel prices in India?

Fuel prices at the pump are shaped by a combination of global, economic, and domestic factors. At the heart of it is the international price of crude oil, the base raw material for both petrol and diesel, which has the single biggest bearing on what consumers ultimately pay.

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The rupee-dollar exchange rate is another key variable, given that India relies heavily on imported crude. When the rupee weakens against the dollar, the cost of procuring crude rises, which can feed directly into higher retail fuel prices.

Why do prices differ across different cities?

On top of that, taxes levied by both the central and state governments make up a substantial portion of the final price, which is why petrol and diesel rates differ across states. Transportation costs and prevailing demand-supply conditions also factor into the retail price consumers see at the pump