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India achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending in 2022, ahead of schedule, and reached 20 per cent blending during the 2025-26 ethanol supply year after investments in dedicated ethanol plants, storage and logistics, the ministry said. Addressing concerns over older vehicles, the ministry said E20 underwent extensive testing covering engine durability, fuel systems, material compatibility, corrosion resistance, drivability and emissions before its nationwide rollout. It cited feedback from automobile manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp, saying they had not reported E20-related corrosion, abnormal wear or component-life damage in vehicles serviced under real-world conditions.

The ministry also dismissed demands for petrol pumps to offer multiple fuel grades such as pure petrol, E10 and E20, saying maintaining parallel nationwide supply chains would increase logistics costs and complicate fuel distribution across India’s network of more than 100,000 retail outlets.