The Indian government has slashed excise duty on petrol to Rs 3 a litre and exempted diesel fully from it as it seeks to shield consumers from the impact of rising global crude prices amid the ongoing war in West Asia. The Finance ministry, in a notification dated March 26, cut excise duty on petrol to Rs 3 a litre, from Rs 13 a litre earlier, while the levy on diesel has been slashed to nil from Rs 10 earlier. The duty cuts are effective immediately, the ministry said. Fuel marketing companies in India have been under strain as retail petrol and diesel prices remained frozen despite a nearly 50 per cent surge in international oil prices since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, triggering sweeping retaliation from Tehran.