India to mandate stricter quality standards for E20 petrol

The Indian government is preparing to tighten quality regulations for E20 ethanol-blended petrol following reports of vehicle engine damage and reduced mileage. Automobile manufacturers have raised concerns regarding high levels of chloride and moisture in the fuel, which can lead to corrosion and component failure.

Currently, maintaining chloride contamination below 3 parts per million (PPM) is a voluntary quality standard. However, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is working to make this limit mandatory for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and other entities within the automotive fuel supply ecosystem.

The move aims to ensure fuel purity and protect vehicle engines as India meets its target of 20 percent ethanol blending. By making these contamination limits compulsory, authorities intend to provide better control over fuel quality and ensure cleaner fuel reaches petrol pumps nationwide.