India’s chief economic adviser seeks lower ethanol mix in fuel

India's chief economic adviser has suggested reintroducing a fuel variant with a lower ethanol content, responding to public dissent over the recent policy change. This recommendation marks a rare instance of a top Indian government official publicly opposing official policy. The 20% ethanol blend, known as E20, was introduced last year and is now the sole fuel available at gas stations nationwide, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strategy to lessen oil imports and mitigate pollution.

However, this shift has triggered widespread concerns among motorists about vehicle performance issues and potential damage to automotive components, prompting calls for the government to reintroduce lower ethanol blends, such as E10, alongside the option to purchase E20. In an opinion piece published in the Indian Express, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran and co-author Akash Poojari argued that offering a lower ethanol blend alongside E20 would alleviate most public concerns.

While the government maintains there are no plans to revert to lower ethanol blends like E0 or E10, the opinion piece also references a recent Reuters report indicating that automakers privately expressed worries about E20 contamination, following a petition from an industry lobby group that was later retracted. The piece further stated that, according to current evidence, there are no grounds for fears about engine damage due to E20, but highlighted potential impacts on older vehicles.