July 8 Reuters India39;s fuel consumption rose by 2.6 yearonyear to 19.99 million metric tons in June from a year earlier, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell of the oil ministry showed on Monday.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

India is the world39;s thirdbiggest oil importer and consumer. The data is a proxy for the country39;s oil demand.

KEY QUOTE

Prashant Vasisht, vice president and cohead, corporate ratings at India Credit Rating Agency ICRA, said there had been solid economic growth in India, and there was a lot of tourist activity this year as compared to last year. Jet fuel has been gradually improving … In the power sector the power supplies were more regular, leading to the farming and agricultural sector being well supplied and that has also led to less dependence on diesel.

BY THE NUMBERS

Total consumption totalled 19.99 million metric tons in June, up from 19.48 million tons last year, data showed.

Demand was down 3.5 on a monthly basis from the 20.72 million metric tons consumed in May.

Sales of diesel, mainly used by trucks and commercially run passenger vehicles, fell 5 monthonmonth to 7.98 million tons in June. It was up 1 from a year earlier.

Sales of gasoline rose 4.6 from the previous year to 3.30 million tons, although sales dropped 4.8 from May levels.

Demand for bitumen, used for making roads, gained by more than 4 annually.

Cooking gas, or liquefied petroleum gas, sales rose by 3.2 to 2.31 million tons, while naphtha sales gained…