Domestic fuel prices high due to weak rupee against USD: Pradhan
New Delhi, Sep 8 : Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said a weak Indian rupee against the US dollar and supply side constraints have led to high domestic fuel prices.
The minister's comments come in the backdrop of the petrol price crossing the record high level of Rs 80 per litre in Delhi.
The rupee, according to Pradhan, is as "strong as ever" in comparison to currencies other than the dollar.
"Today Indian currency is stronger as ever in comparison to other currencies, but oil… How do we purchase our oil? Through dollars… Today, dollar in a way is world's biggest exchange currency, that is creating problem for us," the minister said on the sidelines of the Global Mobility Summit here.
The Indian rupee stood at 71.73 per US dollar on Friday -- 73 paise weaker from the previous week's close of 71 per greenback.
Currencies globally have depreciated against the US dollar in the past few weeks due to global trade concerns and following a plunge in the Turkish Lira after the US threatened sanctions on Turkey.
He further said that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries had assured of increasing oil supply from July 1, 2018, but has not been able to do so due to internal issues in some of its member countries, which has increased pressure on oil supply.
Regarding initiatives to decrease dependence on conventional transportation fuel, Pradhan said that the government is focusing on increasing ethanol and bio gas production among others.
Speaking at the conclave about the gas based transportation solutions, the minister said that the use of compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas and bio-CNG is being promoted in the sector, and there are plans in place to have about 10,000 CNG stations within a decade, covering over half the country.
On the issue of promoting LNG as a fuel for long distance transportation by heavy commercial vehicles, he said that efforts are being made by public sector oil companies and some private enterprises in setting up LNG distribution infrastructure.
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Arnab Goswami’s Homecoming? Anchor tears into Modi Government over aviation chaos
Says, govt not going to be happy with us saying this
New Delhi: In a striking turn that surprised even his regular viewers, Arnab Goswami spent the evening of December 4 taking direct aim at the central government over the ongoing crisis in the domestic aviation sector. The debate, aired on Republic, focused entirely on the severe disruption caused by IndiGo flight cancellations and the state of air travel in the country. The tone was sharp, emotional, and openly critical, raising the larger question of whether this marks a homecoming of sorts for the anchor long accused by critics of being soft on the government.
Goswami began the show by saying the central government had “completely let down” air passengers. He pointed to chaotic visuals from airports in Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, describing passengers packed into crowded spaces, long queues, and travellers lying on the floor with little access to basic facilities. He said anyone travelling with children or elderly parents would understand the distress such situations cause.
According to him, the government often claims to have improved the aviation sector, but the day-to-day experience of passengers tells a different story. He argued that whatever help the government may have extended has benefited individuals and individual companies, not the sector as a whole.
Goswami highlighted data from the last three days, saying IndiGo had canceled 1,232 flights in November. He broke down the reasons for the cancellations: 755 linked to crew and FDTL constraints, 258 due to airspace and airport restrictions, 92 because of failures in air traffic control systems, 127 for other reasons.
He said passengers in India are often “taken for granted” and that only in this country can such large-scale cancellations take place without consequences.
Throughout the debate, Goswami repeatedly returned to the theme of duopoly. He said Air India and IndiGo together control 91.5 percent of the aviation market, leaving only a small share for others like Akasa and SpiceJet. This, he said, gives the two big players the power to decide prices and escape accountability.
“They can set the prices. They can torture passengers. They can be not answerable for air crashes.” He added.
Goswami also questioned why such a structure is allowed to exist if the government claims it opposes monopolies. He asked whether the government has made Air India accountable after the recent air crash, and said he did not believe so.
“We are told that the Modi government does not like monopolies. First of all, I don't agree with that. There are too many monopolies happening.” He said.
The anchor accused Air India of operating aircraft that were not airworthy and said no serious action followed. According to him, any other minister in charge of civil aviation would have been removed after such incidents, but nothing happened.
“He is not answerable. And why is the central government not bothered about it? Because he comes from the TDP, an alliance party. So let him do,” he said.
He added that Air India continues to seek government support, including compensation for losses after the Sindhur episode. Goswami questioned why public money should be used to support the airline, drawing a comparison with the earlier controversy involving Vijay Mallya seeking help from the Manmohan Singh government a move that was labelled as scam.
Goswami said passengers are suffering because of delayed flights, sudden cancellations, and lack of compensation. He criticised the DGCA, saying it was not enforcing safety and operational norms. He also questioned why the Prime Minister’s Office had not intervened.
He noted that Republic had carried multiple exposés on these issues and claimed that Air India chooses to give interviews and advertisements only to other channels.
He also called for Parliament to debate the aviation mess and examine whether monopolies or duopolies should be allowed in a nation of India’s size.
“I'm sure the government's not going to be happy with us saying this, but someone's got to speak up for the people of this country.” He added.
Known by his critics as the “Godi Media Chief”, Goswami’s direct attack on the Modi government over civil aviation raised eyebrows across media circles.
Whether this is a one-off outburst or a sign of a new editorial direction is something viewers will be watching closely.
#AviationCollapse | India’s aviation sector is in turmoil as IndiGo’s mass cancellations and Air India’s alleged safety lapses leave passengers stranded. The disruption raises serious questions about airline management, regulatory oversight, and who is ultimately responsible for… pic.twitter.com/Dqt6pcoW8w
— Republic (@republic) December 4, 2025
