New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) The government on Friday imposed a windfall gains tax of Rs 3/litre on the export of petrol, while reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 16.5/litre and aviation turbine fuel to Rs 16/litre effective May 16.

The Finance Ministry, in a notification, said that the road and infrastructure cess will be nil on exports of petrol and diesel.

Also, there is no change in the existing duty rates on petrol and diesel cleared for domestic consumption.

The special additional excise duty (SAED) on petrol at Rs 3/litre has been imposed for the first time since the start of the West Asia crisis.

The duty on export of diesel has been reduced to Rs 16.5 per litre, from Rs 23 per litre, and aviation turbine fuel to Rs 16 per litre from Rs 33 per litre.

The government, on March 26, imposed an export duty on diesel at Rs 21.50 a litre, and on ATF at Rs 29.5 a litre. In the review on April 11, the duties were hiked to Rs 55.5/litre and Rs 42/litre. In the April 30 review, the duties were cut to Rs 23/litre and Rs 33/litre.

The windfall tax was levied to increase domestic availability of the fuel amid the US-Israel and Iran war.

They were also aimed at restraining exporters from taking undue advantage due to price differences, as globally crude oil prices had risen since the beginning of the war.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, triggering sweeping retaliation from Tehran.

Crude oil prices have remained above USD 100 per barrel over the past week, from about USD 73 per barrel before the war.

The windfall tax was to ensure domestic availability of petroleum products by disincentivising exports in the backdrop of the West Asia crises, the ministry said. PTI JD HVA

Windfall tax on petrol exports and lower levies on diesel and ATF reshape petroleum export duties. Windfall gains tax was imposed on petrol exports, while the levy on diesel exports and aviation turbine fuel exports was reduced, effective 16 May. Road and infrastructure cess was made nil on exports of petrol and diesel, and the existing duty rates on petrol and diesel cleared for domestic consumption remained unchanged. The export-duty revisions were stated to increase domestic availability of petroleum products and discourage exporters from taking undue advantage of price differentials.