India expands E20 ethanol‑blended petrol rollout at fuel stations

During the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that public‑sector oil marketing companies have equipped retail outlets with the technical specifications, safety procedures and engineering standards needed to store and dispense E20 ethanol‑blended petrol. The programme follows the National Policy on Biofuels and is guided by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organisation and inputs from NITI Aayog, ARAI, SIAM and other technical bodies.

The blending target is set to rise to 14.6 % in FY 2024‑25 and 19.2 % in FY 2025‑26, covering roughly 80 % of the 80 million vehicles that visit pumps daily. Director Shalivahan Shrivastava of the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy said each litre of ethanol replaces a litre of imported crude, saving foreign exchange, generating rural jobs and increasing farmer income. Extensive testing has shown E20 to be safe for engines and comparable to blends used in Brazil for decades.

The government views the ethanol‑blended fuel programme as a core element of India’s energy self‑sufficiency strategy, aiming to reduce dependence on imported oil while supporting the domestic renewable‑fuel sector.