NEW DELHI: The government on Monday clarified that no decision has been taken to raise ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current 20%, amid concerns over the nationwide rollout of E20 fuel.
Responding in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said any future move to increase ethanol content would be based on scientific and technical studies, along with consultations with automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, and research institutions.
The government also informed Parliament that there is no proposal to make lower ethanol-blended petrol or pure petrol available at select retail outlets. It further ruled out any immediate plan to introduce ethanol blending in diesel, saying any such decision would be taken only after detailed evaluation and stakeholder consultations.
India achieved the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol last year, making E20 the standard petrol variant across the country. While concerns have been raised about reduced fuel efficiency and increased engine wear in older, non-E20-compliant vehicles, the government said the transition had been gradual, calibrated, and backed by scientific assessment.
According to Gopi, ethanol blending has steadily increased from 1.5% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26 through a phased and evidence-based approach.
The government also stated that it has not received any widespread or substantiated complaints suggesting that E20 fuel has adversely affected vehicle performance. It said many claims circulating on social media about engine damage and reduced reliability were misleading or lacked technical evidence.
“If E20 had caused systemic damage to vehicle performance or vehicle life, it would have been reflected in large-scale warranty claims and service records,” Gopi said.
The minister acknowledged that certain vehicles originally designed for E10 petrol may experience a marginal reduction in fuel economy, but said the impact is generally limited to around 3-5%.
