Hardeep Puri Defends E20 Fuel, Calls Ethanol Blending Key to India’s Energy Security

New Delhi, July 2026 : Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday strongly defended the Centre’s ethanol blending programme, dismissing criticism of E20 petrol as “misinformation” and asserting that the fuel has been scientifically tested, is completely safe for vehicles, and plays a crucial role in India’s journey towards energy self-reliance.

In a post on social media platform X, Puri said the recent criticism of ethanol-blended fuel coincided with the launch of E85-compatible flex-fuel vehicles, suggesting that the campaign against ethanol blending was driven by misinformation rather than scientific evidence.

The minister pointed out that India has progressively increased ethanol blending over the past few years, introducing E15 fuel in April 2023, E19 in April 2024, and E20 in April 2025. He said millions of vehicles have been using these fuels successfully without any significant technical issues.

“More than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 20 lakh four-wheelers have been running on E20 fuel for years. Despite this widespread usage, a campaign against ethanol blending has suddenly gathered momentum,” Puri said.

He noted that India took another major step towards cleaner transportation on June 5 by introducing E85 fuel for flex-fuel vehicles. According to him, criticism of ethanol-blended fuels intensified soon after this development.

“If one looks closely at the timeline, the pattern is difficult to ignore,” the minister remarked, alleging that fear surrounding ethanol-blended fuel was being deliberately amplified following the rollout of E85-compatible vehicles.

Highlighting India’s energy challenges, Puri said the country currently imports more than 85 per cent of its crude oil, making it one of the world’s largest energy importers. He added that India accounts for nearly 30 per cent of global oil demand growth, underlining the importance of developing alternative domestic fuel sources.

The minister stressed that every litre of ethanol blended with petrol reduces the country’s dependence on imported crude oil, strengthens energy security, lowers foreign exchange outflow and helps shield India from global oil price volatility and geopolitical uncertainties.

Puri also highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of ethanol blending, saying the programme contributes to lower vehicular emissions while creating additional income opportunities for farmers.

Describing ethanol as a bridge between agriculture and energy, he said the initiative has transformed India’s “Annadatas” (food providers) into “Urjadatas” (energy providers), enabling farmers to benefit from supplying feedstock used in ethanol production.

Calling E20 a “widely tested, scientifically verified and internationally proven” fuel, the minister maintained that there was no basis for concerns regarding its safety or performance in compatible vehicles.

Puri also noted that the ethanol blending programme was originally initiated during the previous Congress-led government. He argued that opposition to its accelerated implementation under the current government appeared politically motivated, despite broad agreement on the need to reduce India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The government has been steadily increasing ethanol blending as part of its broader strategy to promote cleaner fuels, enhance energy security, support rural incomes and move India towards greater self-reliance in the energy sector.