India E20 petrol protest stopped by police

Police stopped Indian opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday as he marched towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence with petitions signed by more than 200,000 people demanding a rethink of E20 petrol.

E20 is petrol blended with 20 percent ethanol, produced largely from sugarcane. India has made it the national standard as part of a wider effort to cut reliance on imported crude and raise farm incomes.

Motorists have raised concerns that the blend could affect vehicle performance, fuel efficiency and maintenance costs, especially in vehicles designed for lower ethanol blends. Videos alleging damage to vehicle parts and lower mileage have circulated widely on social media.

The government has acknowledged that E20 could cause a small fuel-efficiency dip of 3 percent to 5 percent, but has rejected claims of widespread engine damage. Junior Oil Minister Suresh Gopi told parliament last week that more than 200 million two-wheelers and 300 million cars had run on E20 without verified evidence of widespread engine failures or breakdowns.

Government figures show ethanol blending rose from less than 1.5 percent in 2013-14 to 20 percent in 2025-26. The government says the programme has saved roughly $20 billion in foreign exchange since 2014-15 and boosted farmer incomes by $16.4 billion.

Critics have asked the government to offer vehicle owners a choice between E10, E20 and unblended petrol without a premium. India's oil ministry said last month that offering multiple petrol options would be logistically difficult and costly.