‘E20 is a widely tested, verified’: Hardeep Singh Puri rejects claims against E20 fuel

Rejecting criticism of ethanol-blended fuel, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that E20 petrol is scientifically tested, safe for vehicles and central to the country’s push for energy self-reliance.

In a post on X, the Union Minister claimed that a misinformation campaign had intensified after the rollout of E85-compatible vehicles.

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However, Puri noted that India had been using E15 fuel since April 2023, E19 since April 2024 and E20 since April 2025.

“Consider the facts. E15+ has been used on Indian roads for over three years. E19+ for over 2 years. E20 has been available since April 2025. More than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 20 lakh four-wheelers have been running successfully on E20 fuel for nearly two years,” he wrote.

Look closely at the timeline, and the pattern becomes difficult to ignore. India imports more than 85% of its crude oil and accounts for 30% of oil demand growth globally.

On 5 June, India took a major step towards reducing that dependence by launching E85 fuel for flex-fuel… pic.twitter.com/P5WZyRE73f

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) July 8, 2026

He added, “Yet, as India accelerated its journey towards greater energy self-reliance, opposition to ethanol blending suddenly intensified. It is worth asking: who benefits if India remains dependent on imported crude oil or batteries.”

Puri said that every litre of ethanol blended into petrol “helps reduce crude oil imports, strengthens India’s energy security, reduces air pollution, supports domestic farmers, and saves valuable foreign exchange.”

“Greater use of indigenous fuels also makes the country less vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions and global price shocks. E20 is a widely tested, verified, scientific, internationally proven and completely safe fuel for our vehicles. It is also a completely Atmanirbhar fuel which has made our ‘Annadatas’ into ‘Urjadatas,’ he added.