Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the government is testing E25 petrol, a blend of 25% ethanol with petrol, and any decision on its rollout will be taken only after the test results are evaluated and discussions are held with stakeholders and automobile manufacturers.
"If someone is suggesting E25, we have made it clear that we are conducting tests. Those tests will take time. Once the reports are available, we will evaluate them. Then we will discuss the findings with the stakeholders and the automobile manufacturers," Puri told reporters.
His remarks come amid an ongoing debate over E20 petrol, with social media posts and consumer complaints alleging reduced fuel efficiency and engine damage, alongside speculation that the government could soon mandate ethanol blending beyond 20%.
Rejecting such concerns, the minister said automobile manufacturers and vehicle service providers have not reported any issues with E20 fuel.
"There are around 20 crore two-wheelers on the road and about 20 lakh four-wheelers using this fuel. The automobile manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there is no difficulty. Why this sudden interest?" he said.
Puri noted that India had used E15 fuel for the last three-and-a-half years before shifting to E20 in April 2025. "It has already been one year since the rollout of E20, and we are now another five months beyond that," he added.
The debate over E20 has intensified in recent weeks after the nationwide availability of the fuel and the notification of fuel standards for higher ethanol blends, including E22, E25, E27 and E30, fuelled speculation that the government was preparing to raise the mandatory ethanol blending target.