NEW DELHI: Indian state retailers' gasoline and gasoil sales in March rose by 27.4% and 28.6%, respectively, from the low base of last year, when a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus hit consumption, preliminary industry data showed.

State companies - Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum - own about 90% of India's retail fuel outlets.

The three companies sold 2.47 million tonnes of gasoline and 6.41 million tonnes of gasoil last month, the data showed.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) ((nidhi.verma@thomsonreuters.com; +91 11 49548031; Reuters Messaging: nidhi.verma.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))