India's Ethanol Blending Program Cuts Fuel Prices During Crisis

The Indian government claims that its ethanol blending program has protected consumers from steep fuel price increases during the recent West Asia crisis.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, without ethanol blending, petrol in Delhi could have cost around Rs 125 per litre. However, thanks to the initiative, consumers paid Rs 94.77 per litre because 20% of every litre of petrol comprised domestically produced ethanol procured at stable prices.

The ministry stated that the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme has helped cushion the impact of global crude oil price volatility by reducing dependence on imported fuel while keeping a larger share of India's fuel expenditure within the domestic economy.