- By Surarika Das
- Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Tuesday said that India can be transitioned towards “100 per cent ethanol blending" in petrol. While speaking at the Indian Federation of Green Energy’s Green Transport Conclave, Gadkari said that total energy self-reliance is no longer just an environmental goal but a national security imperative.
The minister’s remarks come at a time when global energy markets are grappling for energy supplies as the US-Israel-Iran continues. The war disrupted global oil supply chains and inflated import bills.
Why Is ‘100 per cent Ethanol Blending’ Important?
The key objective of this target is India’s staggering dependence on fossil fuel imports. At present, India meets approximately 87 per cent of its oil requirements through imports, draining the exchequer of nearly Rs 22 lakh crore annually. According to Gadkari, the ongoing “West Asia crisis" has revealed the vulnerability of this arrangement, making it important for India to decouple its transport sector from international crude price volatility.
Officials claim that by moving towards a 100 per cent ethanol (E100) model, similar to the one successfully implemented in Brazil, India can increase its massive agricultural surplus. The change would not just improve energy security but also provide a direct economic boost to farmers by transforming them from “Annadatas" (food providers) into “Urjadatas" (energy providers).
Over the years, India has made a remarkable development in its biofuel program. After the nationwide rollout of E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol), which was completed on April 1, 2026, the government is now looking at the next frontier. While E20 can be used in existing internal combustion engines with minor modifications, a shift to E100 or even E85 requires a more robust transition to Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).
The minister stated that the adoption of electric and flex-fuel technology will be encouraged by the future CAFE III (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) regulations, which are scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2027. According to reports, a draft notification for E85 fuel is already nearing completion, indicating that infrastructure for greater blending levels is being given priority.