India launches E85 flex‑fuel blend, priced ₹20 cheaper than petrol

The Indian government announced the rollout of an E85 ethanol‑petrol fuel blend, priced about ₹20 per litre lower than conventional petrol. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri unveiled the fuel at an Indian Oil Corporation pump on World Environment Day, emphasizing its availability for certified Flex‑Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) that can detect and adjust to ethanol concentrations.

Initially, E85 will be sold at 48 public‑sector pumps, with plans to expand to 500 pumps by December 2026 and roughly 5,000 by December 2027. The blend contains 80‑85 % ethanol and the remainder petrol, offering higher octane and lower particulate emissions. The government expects the programme to help meet its target of about 26 % ethanol blending by 2030‑31, cut crude‑oil imports, support domestic agriculture, and reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions by roughly 60 % compared with standard petrol.

The launch is part of India’s broader energy‑self‑reliance strategy, aiming to replace imported fossil fuels with domestically produced ethanol and to build a national flex‑fuel ecosystem similar to Brazil’s.