The Downstream Business in India is Reduced to a Farce

摘要

An unusually strong headline to this report on the retail fuel industry no doubt. However, given the situation that prevails even as I write this, few will dispute it.The retail business got a shot in the arm when the APM was dismantled and the Indian retail fuel bazaar opened its windows to let in the fresh air of the free market. Reliance and Essar- two of the prominent private sector players - got ready to do battle with the state owned PSU's on their own turf and actually believed that they had a chance. The consumer too thought that with the days of PSU monopoly gone, he would get better bargaining power in terms of quality, as well as service from the retail bazaar. However, all that was not to be.