India's oil ministry rejects Karnataka findings of excess ethanol in petrol

Indian Oil

07/11/2026 13:07

BENGALURU, Nov 7 (Reuters) - India's petroleum ministry on Saturday rejected a report by authorities in the southern state of Karnataka that some petrol pumps there sold fuel with more ethanol than the 20% limit, saying its own tests showed supplies met national standards.
Four in five petrol pumps surveyed in India's southern state of Karnataka were selling fuel blended with ethanol content above the permitted 20% ​limit, a minister in the opposition-ruled state government said on Friday.
The findings had raised fresh ‌concerns about fuel quality as India expands the use of E20 fuel, a petrol blend consisting of 20% ethanol, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive to reduce crude imports, lower emissions ​and support domestic ethanol producers.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called the matter "petrol theft" and urged Modi to disclose actual ethanol levels and act against companies that over-blend.
The petroleum ministry questioned how the state government drew and tested its samples
It added that state-run fuel retailers Indian Oil Corporation IOC.NS, Bharat Petroleum BPCL.NS and Hindustan Petroleum HPCL.NS had also disputed the findings and had sought independent testing of Karnataka's samples.

 (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru)
 ((munsif.vengattil@thomsonreuters.com;))