The government said on Monday, July 20, 2026, that no decision has been made to raise the amount of ethanol blended with gasoline beyond the current 20%, despite a number of recent initiatives to promote biofuel blending. It further stated that no decision had been made regarding the commercial blending of diesel and ethanol.
In response to a question, Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State at the Petroleum Ministry, told the Rajya Sabha, “At present, no decision has been taken by the government to increase ethanol blending in petrol beyond 20% or to introduce ethanol blending in diesel for commercial use.” He added, “Any future decision, if considered, will be based on comprehensive scientific evaluation, vehicle compatibility studies, stakeholder consultations and the availability of adequate domestic production capacity.”
However, in an effort to encourage the blending of biofuels, the government exempted gasoline blended with a higher percentage of ethanol, between 22% and 30%, from central excise duties in June of this year.
Additionally, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had informed them of the technical requirements they must meet in order to launch commercially.
Five years ahead of schedule, in 2025, the Indian government met its goal of having one-fifth of the amount of ethanol mixed with gasoline.
Mr. Gopi informed the Upper House that the E19-E20 blend has been in “widespread use” for more than two and a half years, and that 15% blending has been in “widespread use” for more than three and a half years.
In response to the criticism, Mr. Gopi insisted that “more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars have been operating on these blends without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending.”
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