AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) said his party’s campaign against E20 fuel would continue and urged people to join the protest in large numbers if they wanted to stop its implementation.

Addressing a press conference after leading a march towards the Prime Minister’s residence with petitions opposing E20 fuel, Mr. Kejriwal said the party would also oppose any move to implement the policy in States where it has legislators.

“We have MLAs in Goa and Gujarat and we will not allow E20 to be passed there either. Our legislators will oppose it in the Assemblies,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal said only around 100 people had accompanied the march on Tuesday (August 4, 2026), but they had shown courage by participating despite facing criticism and trolling on social media.

Delhi Police on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) stopped Mr. Kejriwal and other party leaders from marching towards the Prime Minister’s residence with around 100 people to submit over 2.30 lakh petitions against E20 fuel, prompting them to stage a protest on Firoz Shah Road.

“If people want to get rid of E20, they will have to come out on the streets in large numbers,” he said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh, claimed he had raised the issue in Parliament and received a reply that indicated the Centre was determined to implement E20.

“I raised the question in Parliament today and the answer makes it clear that the government is determined to implement E20,” Mr. Singh claimed.

He also alleged that Indian farmers would not benefit from ethanol production and claimed that the policy would instead benefit farmers in the United States.

Mr. Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “withstand the pressure” of President Donald Trump and stop importing ethanol from the United States, alleging that the policy favoured foreign interests over Indian farmers.

Petrol pump owners claim that ethanol’s hygroscopic nature or affinity towards water is leading to contamination of their E20 stock during monsoons and in the coastal areas since the existing underground storage tanks were designed for conventional petrol, not higher ethanol blends.

These claims come amid videos that have become viral on social media purportedly showing customers collecting what appears to be muddy water, rather than E20, from fuel dispensers. One such video involved a Toyota Hycross car, following which the automaker had blamed fuel contamination rather than any vehicle related malfunction as the car was E20 compliant.

Three petrol pump owners shared their concerns over the roll out of E20 with The Hindu speaking on condition of anonymity as oil marketing companies have instructed them not to speak publicly on the issue. 

“The underground tanks that store fuel often have some amount of water due to ingress during rains or moisture or condensation or from the fuel tanker that brings petrol to the petrol pump. Now, when the water content in the entire E20 stock in underground tanks exceeds 0.5%, ethanol binds with water because of its hygroscopic nature or affinity for water. This results in phase separation, where water-ethanol mixture settles at the bottom of the tank, while the petrol forms a separate layer above,” explained an industry veteran.

As fuel is drawn by the dispensing unit from the bottom of the underground tank, some vehicles may end up being dispensed this water-rich mixture instead of E20, pump owners further explained.

“As a result, vehicles may not start, or breakdown after a distance. We come to know about contamination only when such customers come to us with complaints,” said one of them.

They also said that the concerns were compounded in coastal areas where there is sub-soil water which can further contaminate E20 stock if the seals on the underground tanks are not properly in place.

One of the petrol pump owners also expressed fears that underground tanks and pipelines made of mild steel could become more susceptible to corrosion because ethanol’s tendency to absorb water, potentially adding to fuel contamination. Some said OMCs had however replaced seals and washers in petrol dispensing units with neoprene rubber in preparation for E20.

‘OMCs dissuading petrol pumps to have signboards on E20’

Petrol pump dealers also said there was need for creating awareness among vehicle owners in order to prevent disputes at fuel stations. They said motorists should be advised on the need for protecting their vehicles from rain as well as during washing to ensure there is no water ingress in fuel tanks, but the oil marketing companies (OMCs) were actively dissuading them from displaying any informational boards.

“Some petrol pumps had hoardings saying E20 was being dispensed on government order, but OMCs were offended and ordered for them to be removed. They don’t want customers to know even this much,” said one of the petrol pump operator. 

Petrol pump dealers said they have been instructed to check underground storage tanks for water contamination three times a day, with the frequency increasing to once every two hours during the monsoon. Many pumps use a dipstick coated with water-finding paste that turns red in the presence of water. If contamination is detected, the dealer informs the oil marketing company (OMC), which deploys personnel to drain the water from the tank using a hand pump.

Dealers, however, said they were unhappy with the financial burden of the process. They pointed out that while they purchase the entire stock of E20 fuel from OMCs, they must bear the losses when any contaminated portion has to be discarded. One of the persons above said he lost 600 litres of fuel recently, while there are others he said who have lost upto 20,000 litres of their stock. They also asked for guidelines for discarding such contaminated water.

Zero tolerance towards contamination: Indian Oil

In a press statement, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) said that they have zero tolerance policy towards contamination. It said regular inspections, surprise checks and scientific testing are carried out as part of a rigorous quality assurance system, and that in the past week alone it had carried out 10,000 surprise inspections across its retail outlets, conducted more than 8,500 quality tests and deployed hundreds of special inspection teams to independently verify compliance with quality standards.

“If any instance of adulteration, contamination or violation of prescribed quality norms is detected during inspections or established through customer complaints, strict action is taken against the concerned dealer in accordance with the applicable guidelines and contractual provisions,” the statement added.

“Fuel blended with 20% ethanol is safe to use,” an executive at SUV maker Mahindra & Mahindra said on Thursday (September 11, 2025) as E20 was rolled out in a clean energy drive, but he added that vehicles could see reduced mileage and acceleration.

E20 recently became the only choice of fuel at nearly 90,000 fuel stations across the country, leading to complaints from motorists concerned about the impact on older vehicles.

“Mahindra is drafting an advisory on the E20 blended fuel, which should reach customers next week, Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of its automotive division,” said at an industry body conference.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea against roll-out of 20% ethanol-blended petrol nationwide

Worried motorists had taken to social media over concerns about confusing statements from carmakers on how E20 will affect their vehicle’s performance and fuel efficiency. Carmakers initially said E20 fuel had not been tested for compatibility with older vehicles, but backtracked later saying it is safe to use.

The Union Government says concerns are unfounded and E20 is the only way forward. Older vehicles may need to replace some rubber parts and gaskets but the government says that is a “simple process.” Earlier on Thursday (September 11, 2025), Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said social media campaigns against E20 were “politically motivated.”

Addressing contestations about the impact of blending ethanol with petrol for vehicular fuel, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) in a detailed statement Tuesday (August 12, 2025) underlined it would provide better ride quality alongside ensuring greater income to farmers and bearing a positive impact on foreign exchange reserves. The statement also refuted prevailing assertions about insurers refusing claims for damage to vehicles from the blended fuel.

Editorial | ​Assuaging concerns: On India and ethanol-blended fuel  

E20 fuels provides better ride quality

MoPNG argued the blended fuel provides better acceleration and better ride quality alongside lower carbon emissions, by approximately 30%, as compared to the E10 predecessor. It held vehicles tuned for the 20% blend deliver better acceleration — holding it as an “important factor in city driving conditions”.

Furthermore, seeking to allay concerns about damage to automotive parts and engines, the statement emphasised there have been no issues relating to either drivability, ability to start the vehicle or metal and plastic compatibility. However, it noted that “certain older vehicles” may have to replace some rubber parts and gaskets which were designed as per the non-blended fuel. “The replacement is inexpensive and can be easily managed during routine servicing,” the statement read. It added that this would be required to be done only “once in the life time of vehicle” and can be done at “any authorised workshop”.

The statement described assertions about “drastic” reduction in fuel efficiency as “misplaced”. It argued vehicular mileage is influenced by a variety of factors beyond fuel variant, as “driving habits, maintenance practices such as oil changes and air filter cleanliness, tyre pressure and alignment, and even air conditioning load.”

About ₹1.44 lakh crore saved in Forex

MoPNG underlined during the last eleven years from ESY 2014-15 to 2024-25 up until July this year, ethanol blending has contributed to public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) saving about ₹1.44 lakh crore. MoPNG said the money which was earlier being utilised for crude oil imports was now going to farmers.

Specifically delving on the benefits to the rural economy, it underlined the blended fuel helped eliminate arrears from sugarcane procurement and improving the viability of maize cultivation in the country. It attributed the paradigm to have not just furthered well-being but also helped tackle “the challenge of suicide by farmers”.

Furthermore, the Ministry estimated that farmers this year alone would be receiving ₹40,000 crore with the country conserving ₹43,000 crore in foreign exchange spending.

Attempts at mongering fear about car insurance “baseless”

MoPNG also refuted “false narratives’ about insurance companies not covering damage emanating from the use of the blended fuel. It stated, “This fear mongering is totally baseless and has been clarified by an insurance company whose tweet screenshot was deliberately misinterpreted to create fear and confusion.”

It stressed usage of E20 fuel would not impact the validity of insurance vehicles in India.

Procurement costs of ethanol not helping lower fuel prices

Addressing concerns about the cost advantage of the blended fuel not being passed to end customers, the statement underlined the weighted average price of ethanol being higher than the cost of refined petrol.

The Ministry attributes this to a combination of price of procurement and increase in price of the blending agent, that is, either maize or C-heavy molasses. Elaborating on the same, it pointed to the average price of procurement in the ongoing ESY at the end of July being ₹71.32 for every litre — inclusive of transportation and GST. One-fifth of the procurement is mixed with the base fuel, that is, refined petrol. Imperative to note here, that the price of C-heavy based ethanol has increased about 24% between ESY 2021-22 and ESY 2024-25 whilst price of maize-based ethanol increased approx. 36% during the same period.

Energy security with the blended fuel, impact on emissions

MoPNG held the blended fuel helped substitute crude oil of about 245 lakh metric tonnes to provide for “crucial energy security needs”, alongside reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by approx. 735 lakh metric tonnes — equivalent of planting 30 crore trees.

Further lending context about emissions, MoPNG argued that ethanol has a higher octane number (of about 108.5) than petrol (84.4). Thus, making ethanol-blended fuels “a valuable alternative for higher-octane requirements crucial for modern high-compression engines”. For perspective, octane rating are a measure of fuel’s stability. It denotes the pressure at which a fuel will combust.

The statement argued that regular petrol in India bears an octane rating of 91. This is to meet the requirements of BS-VI line of vehicles to combat harmful emissions. MoPNG noted blending 20% ethanol has improved the rating to 95. Thus, contributing to “better anti-knocking properties and performance”.

Addressing apprehensions about India progressing beyond E20, MoPNG informed that would entail submission of recommendations, their evaluation and consultations with stakeholders. “The decision is yet to be taken,” it underlined.