India extends E20 petrol, with 20% ethanol, to fuel stations nationwide

India's government pushed E20 petrol, a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline, into wide retail sale by around April 2025. The fuel was sold through the pumps of state-run oil marketing companies and private retailers across the country.

The blending target had originally been set for 2030 under a national ethanol roadmap. In 2021 the government brought it forward to 2025–26. India had already reached 10% blending in 2022, several months earlier than planned, which encouraged officials to move faster.

The programme was presented as a way to cut crude oil imports, save foreign exchange, reduce emissions and give farmers a new market for sugarcane and grain used to make ethanol.

The rollout also raised questions. Some motorists and vehicle owners worried about mileage and about whether older vehicles, built for lower blends, could run safely on the fuel. Consumer groups also asked whether fuel pumps clearly labelled the ethanol content and whether buyers could choose lower-blend petrol. These concerns later led to local checks of fuel quality and ethanol levels in several states.