India, March 27 -- The Union government has reduced excise duty on domestic petrol and diesel by Rs.10 per litre each to protect consumers from rising international oil prices, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

The duty cuts will reduce oil companies' losses on auto fuels without any reduction in pump prices of petrol and diesel.

The government has also imposed duties on exports of diesel by Rs.21.5 per litre and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by Rs.29.5 a litre to ensure vital fuel products are domestic available in view of the West Asia crisis that has witnessed disruptions in global energy supplies, the finance minister said.

"In view of the West Asia crisis, the central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic c...