Union Minister Hardeep Singh puri has called out the controversy over the ethanol blending policy as “misreporting and misinterpretation”, sharing a brief summary of the data retrieved by the centre.
“There is some misinterpretation. There are 20 crore two-wheelers on the road. There are 20 lakh four-wheelers using that fuel on the road. There are the automobile manufacturers. There are the people who service cars. They all say there is no difficulty. Now, why this sudden interest?” Puri said.
The petroleum industry had previously clairified to accept only constructive criticism but no ‘rumours’ about biofeul blending- referring some of the socila media posts that have ben claiming E20 damageing vehicle engines.
He pointed out India has also been using E15 for over three years.
“Look, we have been on E15 for the last three and a half years. We have been on E20 since April of last year. So, April 2025 to April 2026 is already one year. Then we are already another five months after that. If it is somebody suggesting that we are going to E25 soon, we have made it clear, we are doing tests. Those tests will take time,” the Union minister said.
“Once the reports of those tests are in, we will evaluate them. Then we will talk to the stakeholders. We will talk to the automobile manufacturers. I neither make the cars nor the fuel. The car manufacturers are comfortable with the E20 fuel. Each one of them has made a statement,” he said.
India ever since the Middle East crises has been promoting ethanol blending as part of its strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower carbon emissions and support the domestic agricultural economy.