Gadkari Defends Ethanol-Blended Petrol, Says No Evidence Of Vehicle Damage

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari defended the government's ethanol-blending programme at the Bihar Investor Summit 2026, rejecting claims that the fuel damages vehicles. He challenged critics to provide evidence of vehicle damage and said about four crore four-wheelers and 20 crore two-wheelers had been running on ethanol-blended petrol since 2022. Major automobile manufacturers had tested vehicles on higher ethanol blends, including those capable of running entirely on ethanol, he added.

Gadkari argued that concerns over ethanol blending were linked to interests of businesses dependent on conventional fuel imports, which currently cost India around ₹22 lakh crore annually. He positioned the programme as part of broader agricultural diversification, noting that corn-based ethanol production has generated additional earnings of up to ₹45,000 crore for farmers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The minister emphasized that the policy should be viewed beyond transport sector impact, highlighting alternative fuel production using agricultural resources, including aviation fuel from rice straw.