EBITDA stood at Rs 329 crore in Q1 CY26, registering a growth of 7% as compared with Rs 307 crore in Q1 CY25.

Total expenses increased 9.11% year-on-year to Rs 1,245.47 crore during the quarter. Employee benefits expense jumped 33.35% to Rs 90.01 crore, while other expenses rose 9.81% to Rs 338.69 crore during the period under review.

Saugata Basuray, executive director and CEO (interim), Castrol India, said, “The first quarter reflects strong momentum as we continue to execute our growth strategy. We expanded deeper into rural India, tapping village clusters with a population below 20,000, with our rural portfolio growing at double digits. In urban markets, we sharpened our focus on premium brands, driving distribution and activations in high-density consumption areas and delivering double-digit volume and value growth. Our industrial business also sustained its double-digit growth. All of this has translated into continued market share gains and reinforces that our strategy is delivering.”

He added, “While the underlying momentum in the business remains strong, the external environment is becoming increasingly volatile. We remain confident in our strategy and will continue to respond with agility and discipline, balancing near-term actions with a clear focus on long-term growth.”

Mrinalini Srinivasan, chief financial officer and whole-time director, Castrol India, said, “Towards the end of the quarter, we saw early signs of external headwinds on currency and on raw material costs driven by geopolitical events. We are proactively positioning the business to navigate a more volatile and inflationary environment through calibrated pricing, cost discipline, and stronger supply resilience. As we respond, we will continue to expand distribution and invest in our premium brands while staying agile and protecting the fundamentals of the business.”

The company follows the calendar year (January to December) for its financial reporting.

Castrol India is principally engaged in the business of manufacturing & marketing automotive and industrial lubricants and related services.

Shares of Castrol India shed 0.19% to Rs 184.10 on the BSE.