New Delhi, May 24 -- In under 10 days, petrol and diesel prices were raised for a third time on Saturday, taking the cumulative increase in retail fuel rates to nearly Rs.5 a litre. The latest revision pushed petrol prices higher by 87 paise per litre and diesel by up to 91 paise across the country.

These back-to-back increases are an attempt by the state-owned firms to pass on soaring international oil prices after a prolonged freeze in retail fuel prices. It comes amid elevated crude oil prices in the global market, tightening refining margins, and a weaker rupee, which have sharply raised the cost of imports.

State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPC...