Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has defended the use of E20 petrol, saying the ethanol-blended fuel causes only a marginal reduction in vehicle mileage while offering long-term benefits for India’s energy security and the environment.
Addressing concerns over E20 fuel, Puri said it has undergone extensive testing and is safe for vehicles designed to run on the blend. He dismissed claims that it significantly affects engine performance, noting that ethanol-blended fuels are widely used around the world, including in high-performance racing vehicles.
The minister acknowledged that motorists may experience a slight drop in mileage, but said the difference is small compared with the advantages of reducing crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and supporting India’s sugarcane farmers through higher ethanol demand.
Puri also responded to questions on why petrol and diesel prices have not fallen despite softer global crude oil prices. He explained that oil marketing companies are still processing crude bought during the recent West Asia conflict, when crude prices, freight charges and insurance costs were much higher.
According to him, state-run oil companies absorbed higher costs while continuing to supply petrol, diesel and LPG during the April-June quarter. He said fuel prices at the pump could come down if international crude prices remain lower for a sustained period.
