Fuel Pilferage in India: How Much Are You Losing and How to Stop It

The True Scale of Fuel Pilferage in Indian Fleets Industry estimates consistently place pilferage losses at 5–15% of total fuel spend in fleets without monitoring systems. For a 100-truck fleet spending ₹1.5 crore monthly on diesel, that translates to ₹7.5–22.5 lakh disappearing every month through deliberate diversion. Across India’s estimated 5 million commercial trucks, the aggregate annual loss runs into tens of thousands of crores. The challenge is amplified by India’s logistics geography: long highway stretches, remote night stops, a fragmented network of fuel stations, and a cash-heavy transaction culture that makes receipts easy to manipulate. In this environment, pilferage has evolved from opportunistic individual acts into a sometimes-organised ecosystem involving drivers, pump attendants, and unauthorised fuel buyers.