November 10, 2026 | Tax Structure On Petro Fuels Needs To Be Overhauled: Energy is the fuel for economic growth. India is widely cited as the fourth largest economy in the world. While the nation projects an image of a rapidly growing macroeconomic powerhouse with soaring aggregate energy demands, its internal reality is defined by acute energy poverty. India's per capita energy consumption remains stubbornly low at nearly one-third of the global average, reflecting deep-seated economic disparities and structural bottlenecks that hinder human development. India's usage is about one-fifth of China's and one-ninth of the United States' per capita electricity levels. Industry analyses place India close to the global peak in terms of the tax burden built into the retail fuel costs in percentage terms. The share of taxes levied on auto fuels is approximately 69% of the retail pump price for petrol and diesel. Petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas, and crude oil remain outside the preview of the Goods and Services Tax. Click Free Access Column Petro Intelligence to read an insightful piece.