India has successfully achieved 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol in 2025, five years ahead of the original 2030 deadline, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on 24 July, 2025, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).

This milestone represents a dramatic leap from just 1.5 ercent blending in 2014 and is considered one of the country’s most impactful clean energy transitions. The accomplishment is a key pillar of India’s strategy to reduce dependency on imported crude oil and enhance energy security.

Under the National Policy on Biofuels, the government initially aimed for 20 percent blending by 2030, but later advanced the goal to 2025-26. Ethanol production has grown significantly—from 38 crore litres in 2014 to 661.1 crore litres by June 2025. This rapid expansion has yielded Rs 1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange savings by reducing oil imports. Additionally, Rs 1.96 lakh crore has been disbursed to distilleries, and Rs 1.18 lakh crore has been paid directly to farmers. The environmental impact includes a reduction of 698 lakh tonne of CO2 emissions.