New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) India's crude oil import bill rose sharply in the first five months of the c

New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) India's crude oil import bill rose sharply in the first five months of the current financial year as higher international prices pushed up the cost of imports despite little change in the volume of crude purchased. According to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), India spent $74.8 billion on crude oil imports between April and August, up 48% from the corresponding period last year. Crude imports stood at 100.7 million tonnes, compared with 101.1 million tonnes a year earlier, indicating that the increase in the import bill was largely driven by prices…