Lubricant Brands in India: Who Sells What, and How to Choose by Grade
Walk into any auto-parts shop, tractor dealer or industrial supply store in India and you will see the same big names on the shelf. For a bike owner buying one litre, the logo may be enough. For a fleet owner, plant maintenance head or lubricant dealer buying in drums, it is not. What protects your engines, gearboxes and hydraulic pumps is the grade and specification inside the pack.
This guide maps the major lubricant brands in India and who owns them. It explains what their labels mean and shows the common grades they sell, so you can buy on specification rather than on name alone.
India’s lubricant market at a glance
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Lubricant consumption (2025) | About 5.6 billion litres |
| Share used as automotive engine oil | About 42% |
| Share used by the automotive sector | About 54% |
| Share based on mineral oil | About 68% |
Source: Mordor Intelligence, India Lubricants Market report. Figures rounded.
Engine oil for trucks, tractors, cars and two-wheelers is the largest single category. Industrial oils, gear oils and greases make up much of the rest, used by the factories, construction sites and farms that keep the economy moving.
The major lubricant brands in India
| Brand | Company | Type of company |
|---|---|---|
| SERVO | Indian Oil Corporation | Public sector oil company |
| MAK | Bharat Petroleum | Public sector oil company |
| HP Lubricants | Hindustan Petroleum | Public sector oil company |
| Castrol | Castrol India (BP group) | Multinational |
| Shell | Shell | Multinational |
| Mobil | ExxonMobil | Multinational |
| Gulf | Gulf Oil Lubricants India | Listed private company |
| Veedol | Veedol Corporation (formerly Tide Water Oil Co.) | Listed private company |
How big are they? IndianOil describes SERVO as India’s biggest lubricant brand, with more than 27% of the finished lubricants market. An HDFC Securities research report puts Castrol at about 20% of the market, strongest in passenger cars. Alongside these names, many Indian manufacturers make lubricants to the same published industry specifications. They supply workshops, fleets, factories and dealers directly.
Lubricant brands vs grades: the grade is the product
Engines and machines are designed around industry standards, not brands. That is why every major company sells the same core grades. Before you compare names, read these markings on the label or product data sheet:
- SAE viscosity grade for engine and gear oils, such as 15W-40 or 20W-40. See our engine oil viscosity guide.
- API service category for diesel engine oils, such as CH-4, CI-4 or CK-4. See API CI-4 vs CH-4 vs CK-4.
- ISO VG number for industrial oils, such as 32, 46 or 68, and DIN 51524 / ISO 11158 for hydraulic oils.
- API GL-4 or GL-5 for gear oils. See GL-4 vs GL-5.
- NLGI grade and thickener type for greases. See NLGI grease grades.
- OEM approvals, where your equipment manual requires a specific approval.
Common lubricant grades in India and the names they are sold under
The table below shows grades that bulk buyers ask for most often. For each one it lists some well-known product lines sold under that grade, and the Haruto product in the same grade.
| What you are lubricating | Grade to look for | Examples of market product lines | Haruto product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck, bus and genset diesel engines | SAE 15W-40, at the API level your OEM manual specifies | Castrol CRB Turbomax, Gulf Superfleet, Mobil Delvac | Haruto 15W-40 engine oil |
| Tractor engines | Multigrade diesel engine oil (commonly 15W-40 or 20W-40) as your manual specifies | SERVO Universal Tractor Oil | Haruto 15W-40 / 20W-40 engine oil |
| Excavators, presses, hydraulic power packs | ISO VG 68 anti-wear (HLP / HM) | SERVO System 68, Castrol Hyspin AWS 68, HP Enklo 68, MAK Hydrol HLP 68, Shell Tellus S2 M 68 | Haruto Hydraulic Oil AW 68 |
| Axles and manual gearboxes | SAE 90, API GL-4 or GL-5 as specified | Sold by most major brands as “EP 90” | Haruto EP 90 gear oil (API GL-5) |
| Wheel bearings, chassis, general greasing | NLGI 3 lithium multipurpose grease | Sold by most major brands as “MP3” | Haruto Lithium MP grease (NLGI 3) |
These examples only show how each grade is commonly sold in India. They do not mean that any two products are equivalent or interchangeable. Always check the product data sheet and your equipment manufacturer’s recommendation.
Buying lubricants in bulk: what to check, whatever the brand
- Specification first. The grade and performance level on the label and data sheet must match your OEM manual, not just the viscosity number.
- Batch number and manufacturing date on every drum and pail, so you can trace any quality question.
- Sealed, undamaged packs from a traceable source. Counterfeit and adulterated oil is a real problem in the loose and grey market.
- Product data sheet. A serious supplier shares it without hesitation, so you can check the specification before you buy.
- The right pack size for your usage. Pails for top-ups and small machines, 210-litre drums for plants and fleets with steady consumption.
- Total delivered cost and reliability. Compare cost per litre delivered, credit terms and delivery lead times, not the shelf price of a one-litre bottle.
Where Haruto fits among lubricant brands in India
Haruto is a Japanese-inspired lubricant range from Banesto Products Private Limited. It covers engine oils, tractor and transmission oils, gear oils, hydraulic oils, industrial oils and greases. We supply workshops, fleets, factories and distributors in pack sizes up to 210-litre drums. If you already know the grade you buy today, send it to us. We will match it to the right Haruto product and share the data sheet so you can check the specification yourself.
Know your grade? Send us the grade, pack size and monthly quantity for a bulk quote and data sheet.
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