Diesel consumers in India pay lower prices than their American counterparts. But, petrol due to the high tax component is priced higher in India than in the US.
Petrol in India is sold at Rs 20.88 a litre higher than in the US, while diesel is cheaper by Rs 4.55 a litre.
The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr R.P.N. Singh, informed Rajya Sabha, that retail selling prices of PDS kerosene and domestic LPG in India are the lowest compared with the neighbouring countries.
The retail selling price of diesel is comparable with prices in neighbouring countries and much lower than the prices in European countries.
For petrol too the prices in India are much lower than prices in several European countries, he added.
In India petrol is retailed at Rs 63.70 a litre (Delhi), while in the US it is sold at Rs 42.82 a litre. However, in Italy, the UK and Germany it is priced at Rs 96.79 a litre, Rs 96.39 a litre, and Rs 95.99 a litre respectively.
Without taxes, petrol would cost Rs 23.37 a litre in Delhi. In Pakistan petrol is sold at Rs 41.81 a litre and Sri Lanka Rs 50.30 a litre.
Diesel is sold at Rs 41.29 per litre (Delhi) and without taxes, it would cost Rs 24.90 a litre. In the US, diesel costs Rs 45.84 a litre, while in the UK it is Rs 82.93 a litre and Rs 74 per litre in Italy.
In Pakistan diesel is priced at Rs 46.70 a litre and Sri Lanka Rs 34.37 a litre.
PDS kerosene price of Rs 14.83 a litre in Delhi and domestic LPG Rs 399 per cylinder are the lowest in the region.
In order to insulate the common man from the impact of rising oil prices in the international markets and the domestic inflationary conditions, the retail selling prices of diesel, PDS kerosene and domestic LPG are being modulated by the Government, the Minister said.
Prices in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal are as per Indian Oil Corporation.
Price of Petrol and Diesel in the US, France, Germany, the UK and Italy are as per the IEA report: ‘End use petroleum product prices and average crude oil import costs' for July 2011.