India Slashes Windfall Tax (SAED) on Petrol Exports to Zero

15 August 2026National

The Ministry of Finance, through a notification on 15 August 2026, cut the Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) — India's windfall gains tax on petroleum exports — on petrol to nil (from ₹3.5/litre), on diesel to ₹24/litre (from ₹25.5), and on ATF to ₹19.5/litre (from ₹22), reversing a sharp hike notified just 12 days earlier on 3 August 2026. SAED is revised fortnightly, tracking global crude and refinery-margin swings; domestic excise duty on petrol/diesel for local sale is unchanged. India first imposed windfall taxes on petroleum exports in July 2022, removed them in 2024, and reintroduced them in March 2026 after oil prices rose amid the West Asia conflict.

Static GK

SAED = Special Additional Excise Duty on petroleum exports | Windfall tax on petroleum exports first levied July 2022 | Ministry of Finance revises SAED fortnightly per global crude prices

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India cut the SAED (windfall tax) on petrol exports to nil, diesel to Rs 24/litre and ATF to Rs 19.5/litre on 15 Aug 2026, reversing a 3 Aug hike; the levy was first introduced in July 2022.

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