Offer E10 for old vehicles, E20 for new ones: CEA Nageswaran

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has called for restoring the availability of E10 (10% ethanol blend) at petrol pumps for older vehicles while retaining E20 (20% blend) for newer ones. In an op-ed co-authored with Akash Poojari in The Indian Express, Nageswaran argued that although testing by ARAI, the petroleum institute, and Indian Oil found no engine damage from E20, India has 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers whose rubber seals are not ethanol-compatible. Retrofitting those seals, he noted, would take years even if every workshop started today.

The Hindu reports that the original E20 roadmap had asked for a lower-blend fuel to remain on sale, but it "quietly vanished from the pumps". Nageswaran said restoring E10 alongside E20 would calm public concern, lower total ethanol use, and protect the existing fleet. Separately, state-run oil companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL said nationwide tests found no evidence of high moisture or chloride contamination in E20. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri backed the policy, saying crack teams found only 4 issues in 1,07,000 petrol pumps.

Minister Nitin Gadkari told Parliament that engine durability tests showed no failure due to E20, and emissions met BS VI norms. The debate follows opposition and consumer group criticism over E20's impact on older vehicles.