After petrol, diesel sales in India return to pre-covid-19 level

India’s petrol sales rose in October for the first time since the nation imposed COVID-19 restrictions in late March, preliminary data shows, signalling a pick-up in industrial activity ahead of key festivals.

Diesel sales by the country’s three state fuel retailers rose 8.8% year on year in the first half of October, according to provisional data compiled by Indian Oil Corp , the country’s biggest refiner and fuel retailer.

Sales of gasoil, which account for about two fifths of the country’s overall fuel demand, totalled 2.65 million tonnes, up more than 24% from the previous month.