India's Petroleum Ministry Denies Bhutan Refused E20 Petrol Import

The ministry of petroleum and natural gas (MoPNG) on Sunday dismissed reports claiming that Bhutan had refused to import India’s E20 petrol, stating that no such offer had ever been made by the country’s oil marketing companies (OMCs).

Calling the claims incorrect, the ministry said there is no proposal to export E20 petrol to Bhutan.

In a Facebook post, the ministry said, "Fact Check: Claims that Bhutan declined an offer to import E20 petrol from India are incorrect. No such offer has been made by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and there is no proposal for export of E20 petrol to Bhutan. Please rely only on official information from MoPNG and the Oil Marketing Companies."

The clarification came a day after the Congress alleged that Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had refused India's fuel. In a post on X, Congress Kerala wrote, "Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Srilanka said no to Gadkari's Ethanol contaminated fuel. Only we Indians are left at the mercy of these idiots."

As the roll out begins across the nation, claims have surfaced concerns raised over the performance and reliability of the newly introduced E20 blend fuel.

Responding to those concerns, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) said E20 fuel was introduced only after extensive laboratory, vehicle and field testing carried out by India's leading technical institutions.

The ministry stated, "E20 fuel was introduced only after extensive laboratory, vehicle, and field testing by India's leading technical institutions. Science led the way, ensuring reliability, performance, and confidence on every journey."

The government also clarified that vehicle manufacturers have been aligning their vehicles with the prescribed ethanol-blending standards.

According to the ministry of information and broadcasting, the use of approved E20 fuel does not automatically void a manufacturer's warranty simply because ethanol-blended petrol is used.

It further said that ethanol blending is a scientifically designed and internationally accepted fuel formulation implemented under India's Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, including in countries such as Brazil.

The ministry added that it is governed by established fuel quality standards and is not fuel adulteration.

The ministry also said that extensive testing by ARAI, Indian Oil R&D and IIP found no significant engine durability or performance issues with E20 in older vehicles.

It added that millions of vehicles have been operating on E20 since the nationwide rollout on April 1, 2025, without any evidence of engine failure attributable to the fuel.