Hardeep Singh Puri Defends E20 Petrol Rollout, Says E25 Decision Awaits Testing

Hyderabad: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday defended the rollout of E20 petrol, asserting that millions of vehicles have used ethanol-blended fuel without any reported issues. He also clarified that any move towards introducing E25 fuel would only follow extensive testing and consultation with stakeholders.

Puri told ANI that 20 crore two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers were currently running on the fuel, adding that automobile manufacturers and vehicle service providers had all confirmed there were no issues.

Questions surround criticising Ethanol Blending

Puri questioned the current wave of criticism surrounding ethanol blending, pointing out that E15 — a blend of 15 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol — had already been in use for three and a half years. He noted that the shift to E20 had been underway for well over a year, with the rollout beginning in April 2025 and continuing through to the present.

Cautious approach to E25

Responding to suggestions of introducing E25 fuel, Puri said the government was proceeding cautiously and would not make a decision before scientific assessments were completed. He said ongoing tests would take time, after which the reports would be evaluated and discussed with stakeholders and automobile manufacturers before any further steps were taken.

Puri stressed that the transition depended on technical input from the industry, noting that automobile manufacturers had each publicly stated they were comfortable with E20, and that consumers had responded positively to the fuel.

On higher ethanol blends, the minister said the rollout of E85 — a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol — had only recently begun and would take time to scale up, as it required new petrol pumps and supporting infrastructure to be put in place.

Gadkari defences E20

Puri's remarks came on the same day when Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari dismissed criticism of E20 petrol at the Viksit Bharat Conclave in New Delhi. Gadkari said there was no case of any vehicle facing issues due to E20 and challenged critics to identify a single affected vehicle. He further alleged that false narratives were being spread about the rollout of higher ethanol-blended petrol, describing them as "paid campaigns."

India has already achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. Ethanol, produced from biomass such as sugarcane, corn, and rice, is being promoted as a cleaner-burning fuel to help reduce dependence on imported crude oil and lower carbon emissions.