India should bring back E10 option to ease consumer's concerns, says chief economic advisor

India should reintroduce a lower ethanol blend like E10, alongside the existing E20 option, to alleviate public worries and decrease total ethanol usage, Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran has suggested. In an opinion piece for The Indian Express, co-authored by consultant Akash Poojari, Nageswaran stated this approach would protect the current vehicle fleet while retrofitting programs catch up.

While the piece acknowledged no evidence of E20 fuel causing engine damage, it highlighted concerns regarding its compatibility with older vehicles. India has a significant number of older two-wheelers, many with rubber seals not rated for ethanol, which would require years to retrofit. This issue contributes to public apprehension about the 20% ethanol blend.

The rollout of E20 fuel has faced criticism from opposition parties and some consumer groups, who allege potential engine damage and suitability issues for older vehicles. However, oil companies, automakers, and the Union government maintain that the rollout followed careful consideration and testing. State-run oil companies recently asserted that nationwide tests of E20 petrol showed no evidence of high moisture or chloride contamination, with fuel quality consistently within prescribed limits across the supply chain.

Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, has defended the government's fuel-blending policy, accusing some individuals of attempting to create controversy. He emphasized intensified testing measures, including the formation of "crack teams," to ensure fuel quality compliance throughout the supply chain.

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Restoring a lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the option to buy E20, would calm most public concern, lower total ethanol use instead of raising it, and protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up.