Govt of India mandates sale of 20% ethanol-blended petrol from April 1

• 26 Feb 2026
• 119 Views

From 1 April 2026 onwards, the Government of India will make the sale of petrol with up to 20% ethanol and a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 mandatory across all States and Union Territories in India. In special situations, for specific regions and for a limited period of time, the GOI can allow exceptions. 

In a notification dated 17 February 2026, the Oil Ministry said, "the central government hereby directs that oil companies shall sell ethanol-blended motor spirit (petrol) with percentage of ethanol up to 20% as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications and having minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95, in States and the Union Territories".

Ethanol is a clear, colorless, volatile and flammable alcohol made from sugarcane, grain or maize. It is renewable, domestically produced and has cleaner burning as compared to pure petrol. GOI has made it mandatory to blend ethanol in petrol. 

Doing so will help the country to cut down on the oil imports as well as reduce the emissions. In addition to this, this measure will support domestic farmers by boosting demand for sugarcane, maize and agricultural surplus. 

According to the industry officials, most vehicles that are manufactured in India from 2023-2025 onward are designed to run on E20. Therefore, no major issues are expected. However, the older vehicles may however witness a slight drop in mileage between 3-7%. Additionally, the rubber/plastic components may wear out more quickly. 

The insistence on a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 is to prevent engine damage. RON measures a fuel's resistance to engine knocking, which occurs when fuel burns unevenly inside the engine. This can cause a pinging sound, loss of power and potential engine damage over time. 

A higher RON indicates that the fuel is more resistant to knocking. This means it can perform better under pressure. Ethanol has a naturally high octane value of around 108 RON. Blending 20% ethanol with petrol increases the knock resistance of the fuel. Following India's achievement of 10% ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022 (five months ahead of the target date), the government has advanced the target for 20% blending to 2025-26 from 2030.

Most fuel stations in the country now sell E20, i.e., petrol blended with 20% ethanol. As per the oil ministry, since the fiscal year 2014-15, India has saved over Rs. 1.40 lakh crore in foreign exchange via petrol substitution.

Source: The Hindu