NEW DELHI: The government Monday increased the windfall tax on exports of diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for the fortnight starting June 16, while leaving the levy on petrol exports unchanged.Under the revised rates, the special additional excise duty (SAED) on diesel exports has been raised to Rs 14 per litre from Rs 13.5 per litre. The duty on ATF exports has been increased to Rs 12.5 per litre from Rs 9.5 per litre.The export duty on petrol remains unchanged at Rs 1.5 per litre.According to a notification issued by the finance ministry, the revised rates will come into effect from June 16. The government has also kept existing duty rates on petrol and diesel sold in the domestic market unchanged.The move is aligned with Centre’s focus to discourage refiners from prioritising overseas sales and to ensure adequate domestic availability amid lean geopolitical phase in West Asia despite the breakthough in US-Iran deal, which remains in a nascent stage.The windfall tax was introduced to ensure adequate domestic availability of fuel amid disruptions caused by the conflict in West Asia.The levy is intended to discourage exporters from benefiting excessively from higher international fuel prices triggered by the conflict and the resulting rise in crude oil prices.By making exports less attractive, the government aims to safeguard domestic supplies of petroleum products during the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The government first imposed export duties on diesel and ATF in March and subsequently revised them several times as global energy markets reacted to the conflict in West Asia.
