‘No Widespread Issues’: Government Defends E20 Petrol In Parliament

The Centre on Monday told Parliament that it had not received any widespread or verified complaints connecting E20 petrol with engine failures, corrosion, fuel pump problems, water contamination or other vehicle-related issues.

In a written response in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said the rollout of petrol containing 20 per cent ethanol had followed a phased and scientifically assessed process involving government agencies, automobile manufacturers, oil companies and technical institutions.

The reply came in response to a question from Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, who asked whether the government had received complaints from automobile companies, industry bodies or consumer organisations over possible engine damage, lower mileage, corrosion and other performance concerns linked to E20 fuel.

No Widespread Complaints Received

The government said it had “not received any widespread or substantiated complaints from vehicle manufacturers, automobile associations or consumer organisations regarding engine failure, fuel pump issues, corrosion, water contamination or other performance issues attributable to E20 fuel.”

It added that it had “taken note of certain concerns raised in media and social media, which have been scientifically examined.”

According to the ministry, “year-wise and State-wise details of such complaints are Nil.”

The government said the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme had been implemented after consultations and technical assessments involving NITI Aayog, Oil Marketing Companies, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian Institute of Petroleum and vehicle manufacturers.

E20 Is Safe For Use, Says Centre

The ministry said “extensive laboratory studies and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, IOCL, IIP and automobile manufacturers covering parameters such as engine durability, drivability, startability, corrosion resistance, material compatibility, emissions and fuel efficiency have confirmed that E20 is safe for use under prescribed standards.”

It further stated that “these studies also established that legacy vehicles do not exhibit any significant variation in performance or abnormal wear and tear due to E20.”

“These extensive laboratory studies, field validation and real-world operating experience have not established any widespread adverse impact on vehicle performance due to E20 fuel,” the reply said.

The ministry noted that petrol containing more than 15 per cent ethanol had been widely used across India for over three-and-a-half years, while E19 and E20 blends had been in circulation for more than two-and-a-half years.

“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 abnormal wear attributable to E20 fuel,” it said.

No Specific Warning On Water Contamination

Responding to concerns over water contamination, the ministry said Oil Marketing Companies had not issued any advisory specifically warning motorists about such risks arising from ethanol-blended petrol.

It said the fuel supplied by OMCs complied with Bureau of Indian Standards specifications. Quality was monitored through established procedures covering procurement, blending, storage, transportation and dispensing at retail outlets.

Testing was carried out at distilleries, depots and petrol pumps, the ministry said. It added that OMCs had conducted more than 30,000 quality checks at retail outlets over the last 10 to 20 days following complaints, to detect adulteration and ensure that only fuel meeting prescribed specifications was sold.

State governments had also been asked to follow a zero-tolerance policy towards fuel adulteration, the Centre said.

Govt Says Programme Helped Save Rs 1.97 Lakh Crore

The government said India had achieved its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending five years ahead of schedule after more than two decades of phased implementation, stakeholder consultations and capacity expansion.

Since Ethanol Supply Year 2014-15, the programme had helped save more than Rs 1.97 lakh crore in foreign exchange and replace nearly 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, the ministry said.

It added that the programme had helped avoid about 952 lakh metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and generated more than Rs 1.66 lakh crore in additional income for Indian farmers.

The ministry said the Press Information Bureau’s June 23, 2026, conclusion that there were “no widespread issues” associated with ethanol blending was based on scientific testing, technical validation, manufacturer data, real-world usage and continuous government monitoring.