Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday defended India's E20 petrol rollout, saying the country's fuel retail network remained resilient despite recent global supply disruptions.&nbsp;Speaking at the CII International Energy Conference &amp; Exhibition, Puri also addressed concerns over the quality of ethanol-blended petrol following a July 28 letter from an industry body. He said oil marketing companies had already started intensive testing two weeks before the concerns were raised.&nbsp;According to Puri, dedicated teams collected nearly 2,000 petrol samples every day from fuel stations across the country. Of the 107,000 retail outlets operating in India, which serve around six to seven crore customers daily, testing found only four cases of contamination. Puri said some parties were presenting these findings without the full context.&nbsp;India's fuel retail network has more than doubled since 2014, when the country had around 52,000 outlets. Puri said the network now has roughly 107,000 outlets and none had run out of fuel despite pressure on global supplies.<h3>Puri highlights India's fuel resilience</h3>Puri attributed the stability to diversified crude oil sourcing, resilient infrastructure, international partnerships, technology upgrades and strategic reserves. India currently has around 74 days of reserve capacity, he said.&nbsp;He also highlighted India's growing position in the global energy market. India is now the world's third largest energy consumer and importer and the fourth largest refiner. Its energy demand is growing at around three times the global average.&nbsp;Citing the International Energy Agency, Puri said India could account for nearly 30% of the increase in global oil demand between now and 2050.&nbsp;The remarks came as the nationwide rollout of petrol blended with 20% ethanol continues to face political and consumer criticism. The policy aims to reduce crude oil imports and emissions, but critics have raised concerns over lower mileage, compatibility with older vehicles and limited choice for consumers at fuel stations.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/public-nuisance-meta-hit-with-567-million-penalty-over-child-safety-in-us-1786119442313">‘Public nuisance’: Meta hit with $567 million penalty over child safety in US</a><h3>Rahul Gandhi steps up E20 attack</h3>Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday intensified his criticism of the government's E20 fuel policy.&nbsp;In a video message posted on X, Gandhi used the Hindi idiom "daal mein kuch kaala hai" to suggest that something was suspicious about the system surrounding the fuel shift. He also explained why the Opposition had not raised every alleged wrongdoing at the same time.&nbsp;Gandhi said political campaigns require "sequencing" because the number of issues and alleged corruption cases was too large to address simultaneously.&nbsp;"This is a matter of sequencing. In any campaign, we have to decide the sequence of affairs. Our problem right now is that there is so much corruption that there is a huge list of issues that we have to sequence," Gandhi said.&nbsp;He said the E20 policy would receive greater attention from the Opposition and alleged that higher ethanol blending was damaging vehicles and increasing financial pressure on people.&nbsp;"Don't worry, we are going to take up this issue in a massive way because this is destroying people's cars, destroying people's scooters, destroying people's lives and literally stealing directly from them," he said.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended the E20 petrol rollout and India's fuel network, while Rahul Gandhi stepped up his criticism of the ethanol blending policy.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday defended India's E20 petrol rollout, saying the country's fuel retail network remained resilient despite recent global supply disruptions. Speaking at the CII International Energy Conference & Exhibition, Puri also addressed concerns over the quality of ethanol-blended petrol following a July 28 letter from an industry body. He said oil marketing companies had already started intensive testing two weeks before the concerns were raised. According to Puri, dedicated teams collected nearly 2,000 petrol samples every day from fuel stations across the country. Of the 107,000 retail outlets operating in India, which serve around six to seven crore customers daily, testing found only four cases of contamination. Puri said some parties were presenting these findings without the full context. India's fuel retail network has more than doubled since 2014, when the country had around 52,000 outlets. Puri said the network now has roughly 107,000 outlets and none had run out of fuel despite pressure on global supplies. Puri highlights India's fuel resilience Puri attributed the stability to diversified crude oil sourcing, resilient infrastructure, international partnerships, technology upgrades and strategic reserves. India currently has around 74 days of reserve capacity, he said. He also highlighted India's growing position in the global energy market. India is now the world's third largest energy consumer and importer and the fourth largest refiner. Its energy demand is growing at around three times the global average. Citing the International Energy Agency, Puri said India could account for nearly 30% of the increase in global oil demand between now and 2050. The remarks came as the nationwide rollout of petrol blended with 20% ethanol continues to face political and consumer criticism. The policy aims to reduce crude oil imports and emissions, but critics have raised concerns over lower mileage, compatibility with older vehicles and limited choice for consumers at fuel stations. Also Read: ‘Public nuisance’: Meta hit with $567 million penalty over child safety in US Rahul Gandhi steps up E20 attack Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday intensified his criticism of the government's E20 fuel policy. In a video message posted on X, Gandhi used the Hindi idiom "daal mein kuch kaala hai" to suggest that something was suspicious about the system surrounding the fuel shift. He also explained why the Opposition had not raised every alleged wrongdoing at the same time. Gandhi said political campaigns require "sequencing" because the number of issues and alleged corruption cases was too large to address simultaneously. "This is a matter of sequencing. In any campaign, we have to decide the sequence of affairs. Our problem right now is that there is so much corruption that there is a huge list of issues that we have to sequence," Gandhi said. He said the E20 policy would receive greater attention from the Opposition and alleged that higher ethanol blending was damaging vehicles and increasing financial pressure on people. "Don't worry, we are going to take up this issue in a massive way because this is destroying people's cars, destroying people's scooters, destroying people's lives and literally stealing directly from them," he said.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended the E20 petrol rollout and India's fuel network, while Rahul Gandhi stepped up his criticism of the ethanol blending policy.

E20 petrol row: Puri says only four contaminated samples found, Rahul Gandhi steps up attack

The government on Monday (July 20 ) said in parliament that it does not intend to increase ethanol content in petrol beyond 20 per cent and any move in this regard will be preceded by detailed scientific studies and consultations with stakeholders. Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Suresh Gopi made the statement in response to a question about further ethanol blending.&nbsp;There are criticism that the blend reduces efficiency and vehicle performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;While making the statement, Gopi also said that premium petrol variants such as Indian Oil’s XP100, Hindustan Petroleum’s poWer100 and Bharat Petroleum’s Speed100 would continue to remain ethanol-free.&nbsp;<h2>But why is premium petrol in India being kept ethanol-free, and who is expected to benefit?</h2>&nbsp;According to the government, premium fuels will not face ethanol blending because these are specialised products formulated with performance-enhancing additives for niche, high-performance applications and there is a very small market for it in India.&nbsp;Notably, premium fuels account for just 0.5% of total petrol sales in the country.&nbsp;The government aims at reducing crude oil imports and improve energy security, lower greenhouse gas emissions, support domestic ethanol production and farmer incomes for which it is progressively increasing ethanol blending.&nbsp;Premium fuels are specialized performance products for high-performance vehicles rather than mass-market use.&nbsp;So, keeping premium fuels ethanol-free preserves a specialised fuel option, has negligible impact on India's overall ethanol blending targets and avoids creating a second nationwide supply chain for regular E0 petrol.&nbsp;<h2>Who is expected to benefit?</h2>&nbsp;Premium fuels that are without any ethanol blending are largely intended towards people who own sports cars, luxury performance sedans, superbikes.&nbsp;Owners of vintage cars, classic motorcycles, collector vehicles also prefer the fuel as it has higher energy content per litre than ethanol blends, absorbs less moisture during storage. Most importantly they offer better long-term storage stability and avoid compatibility concerns in some older fuel systems that operate these vehicles.&nbsp;The better storage stability of the fuel also makes it preferable for seasonal-use vehicles, standby generators and equipment that remain unused for extended periods.&nbsp;While some, also the regular vehicle owners prefer the fuel for its smoother engine operation, cleaner combustion, high-octane performance and reduced concerns about fuel degradation during storage. &nbsp;

According to the government, premium fuels will not face ethanol blending because these are specialised products formulated with performance-enhancing additives.

The government on Monday (July 20 ) said in parliament that it does not intend to increase ethanol content in petrol beyond 20 per cent and any move in this regard will be preceded by detailed scientific studies and consultations with stakeholders. Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Suresh Gopi made the statement in response to a question about further ethanol blending. There are criticism that the blend reduces efficiency and vehicle performance. While making the statement, Gopi also said that premium petrol variants such as Indian Oil’s XP100, Hindustan Petroleum’s poWer100 and Bharat Petroleum’s Speed100 would continue to remain ethanol-free. But why is premium petrol in India being kept ethanol-free, and who is expected to benefit? According to the government, premium fuels will not face ethanol blending because these are specialised products formulated with performance-enhancing additives for niche, high-performance applications and there is a very small market for it in India. Notably, premium fuels account for just 0.5% of total petrol sales in the country. The government aims at reducing crude oil imports and improve energy security, lower greenhouse gas emissions, support domestic ethanol production and farmer incomes for which it is progressively increasing ethanol blending. Premium fuels are specialized performance products for high-performance vehicles rather than mass-market use. So, keeping premium fuels ethanol-free preserves a specialised fuel option, has negligible impact on India's overall ethanol blending targets and avoids creating a second nationwide supply chain for regular E0 petrol. Who is expected to benefit? Premium fuels that are without any ethanol blending are largely intended towards people who own sports cars, luxury performance sedans, superbikes. Owners of vintage cars, classic motorcycles, collector vehicles also prefer the fuel as it has higher energy content per litre than ethanol blends, absorbs less moisture during storage. Most importantly they offer better long-term storage stability and avoid compatibility concerns in some older fuel systems that operate these vehicles. The better storage stability of the fuel also makes it preferable for seasonal-use vehicles, standby generators and equipment that remain unused for extended periods. While some, also the regular vehicle owners prefer the fuel for its smoother engine operation, cleaner combustion, high-octane performance and reduced concerns about fuel degradation during storage.

According to the government, premium fuels will not face ethanol blending because these are specialised products formulated with performance-enhancing additives.

Premium petrol in India to stay ethanol-free: Who stands to gain? WION Decodes

The Central Government has strongly dismissed recent reports claiming that India is preparing to roll out E25 petrol (fuel with a 25 per cent ethanol blend). Officials confirmed that no such decision has been made and that testing for the higher ethanol blend is still underway across multiple vehicle models. Officials confirmed that no such policy decision has been made, calling the claims of an E25 rollout “absolutely false".&nbsp;It also stressed that E25 petrol is still undergoing extensive scientific and technical evaluation across multiple vehicle models as the evaluation process is far from complete; scheduling a public rollout at this stage is impossible. “How can E25 be scheduled when testing itself is still underway?" a government official confirmed. The official clarification comes after widespread reports suggesting a phased rollout of E25 petrol as part of its ethanol blending programme, resulting in concerns among vehicle owners related to engine compatibility and long-term performance. Officials also emphasised that the ethanol blending programme of India has often been introduced gradually after extensive validation rather than abrupt policy decisions.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brahmos-expansion-astra-imports-and-sabang-project-collaboration-to-be-announced-during-pm-modi-s-indonesia-visit-1783398718822">BrahMos expansion, Astra imports and Sabang project collaboration to be announced during PM Modi's Indonesia visit</a><h3>E20 blended fuel</h3>According to several media reports citing government sources, E15 blending has been operational since April 2023. “E19 blending was implemented through the year beginning April 2024. E20 blending has been underway since April 2025, following phased implementation over the previous two-and-a-half years." Before rolling out E20 fuel, officials revealed that automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, and technical experts conducted detailed testing to guarantee vehicle safety and engine compatibility. On Tuesday, officials confirmed that more than 20 crore two-wheelers and around 20 lakh four-wheelers are already running on ethanol-blended petrol across the country. Meanwhile, sources stated that E25 compatibility testing is currently being carried out across different automobile brands and vehicle segments. The government has not yet received the final results of these studies, and no policy decision will be taken until all testing is complete. Officials emphasised that any future increase in ethanol blending will depend entirely on scientific evidence related to vehicle safety, engine performance, fuel efficiency, long-term durability, and manufacturer validation. “There is no proposal under implementation for E25 at present," sources said, and urged people not to depend on speculative reports circulating online.

The official clarification comes after widespread reports suggesting a phased rollout of E25 petrol as part of its ethanol blending programme, resulting in concerns among vehicle owners related to engine compatibility and long-term performance.

The Central Government has strongly dismissed recent reports claiming that India is preparing to roll out E25 petrol (fuel with a 25 per cent ethanol blend). Officials confirmed that no such decision has been made and that testing for the higher ethanol blend is still underway across multiple vehicle models. Officials confirmed that no such policy decision has been made, calling the claims of an E25 rollout “absolutely false". It also stressed that E25 petrol is still undergoing extensive scientific and technical evaluation across multiple vehicle models as the evaluation process is far from complete; scheduling a public rollout at this stage is impossible. “How can E25 be scheduled when testing itself is still underway?" a government official confirmed. The official clarification comes after widespread reports suggesting a phased rollout of E25 petrol as part of its ethanol blending programme, resulting in concerns among vehicle owners related to engine compatibility and long-term performance. Officials also emphasised that the ethanol blending programme of India has often been introduced gradually after extensive validation rather than abrupt policy decisions. Also read: BrahMos expansion, Astra imports and Sabang project collaboration to be announced during PM Modi's Indonesia visit E20 blended fuel According to several media reports citing government sources, E15 blending has been operational since April 2023. “E19 blending was implemented through the year beginning April 2024. E20 blending has been underway since April 2025, following phased implementation over the previous two-and-a-half years." Before rolling out E20 fuel, officials revealed that automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, and technical experts conducted detailed testing to guarantee vehicle safety and engine compatibility. On Tuesday, officials confirmed that more than 20 crore two-wheelers and around 20 lakh four-wheelers are already running on ethanol-blended petrol across the country. Meanwhile, sources stated that E25 compatibility testing is currently being carried out across different automobile brands and vehicle segments. The government has not yet received the final results of these studies, and no policy decision will be taken until all testing is complete. Officials emphasised that any future increase in ethanol blending will depend entirely on scientific evidence related to vehicle safety, engine performance, fuel efficiency, long-term durability, and manufacturer validation. “There is no proposal under implementation for E25 at present," sources said, and urged people not to depend on speculative reports circulating online.

The official clarification comes after widespread reports suggesting a phased rollout of E25 petrol as part of its ethanol blending programme, resulting in concerns among vehicle owners related to engine compatibility and long-term performance.

Is India rolling out E25 petrol? Here is what central govt has to say