New Delhi: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has dismissed reports claiming that Bhutan rejected an Indian offer to import E20 petrol, clarifying that no such proposal was ever made and that there are no plans to export the ethanol blended fuel to the neighbouring country.
In a statement issued through its official fact check platform, the ministry said reports suggesting Bhutan had declined an offer to import E20 petrol were incorrect. It clarified that no Indian Oil Marketing Company had offered to supply the fuel to Bhutan and that there is no proposal under consideration for such exports. The ministry also urged the public to rely only on official sources for accurate information.
The clarification came after a report in a Bhutanese newspaper claimed that Bhutan had requested continued supplies of regular petrol instead of E20 fuel due to concerns over fuel quality, storage and vehicle performance. The report was later defended by the newspaper’s editor, who shared what he described as an official response from Bhutan’s Department of Trade stating that the country was not importing E20 fuel.
According to the shared document, Bhutan expressed concerns that water contamination in ethanol blended petrol could affect fuel quality and vehicle performance. It also stated that the country’s existing underground fuel storage infrastructure could face challenges in maintaining fuel quality if E20 were introduced. The document further indicated that Indian oil suppliers had been requested to continue supplying regular petrol for as long as it remains available.
The Indian government, however, reiterated its support for the ethanol blending programme, stating that there have been no widespread reports of engine failures or vehicle breakdowns linked to E20 fuel since its rollout in 2023. It also dismissed recent viral claims alleging fuel contamination and the mixing of sugarcane juice with petrol, describing them as misleading and baseless.
The ministry maintained that the ethanol blending programme is backed by scientific evaluation and has been implemented following extensive consultations with vehicle manufacturers, oil companies and technical experts.
