India’s ethanol blending drive backed by science: Brazil trade minister
Brazil said its experience with up to 32% ethanol blending shows no vehicle damage when using flex-fuel vehicles and supported India’s E20 programme as scientifically backed. Brazil also sees strong potential to expand crude oil and biofuel cooperation with India.
Brazil has achieved mandatory ethanol blending levels of up to 32 per cent without causing any damage to vehicles, said Márcio Fernando Elias Rosa, Brazil’s Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, adding that the Indian government’s ethanol blending programme is backed by scientific research.
“For a flex-fuel vehicle, it is scientifically proven in Brazil that diesel can handle ethanol blends of up to 15 per cent and petrol up to 32 per cent. (Brazilian) authorities are already researching whether the blend (for petrol) can be increased to 35 per cent, but those studies aren’t ready yet. Decisions are made based on technical details. I know India did the same as Brazil, and we hope other countries use biofuels for environmental and economic reasons,” Rosa said in an interview with Business Standard.
Brazil, which has implemented the world’s highest mandatory ethanol blending levels, is recognised as a pioneer and global leader in large-scale bioethanol adoption. The country transformed its automobile industry with the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) in 2003. Today, FFVs account for the majority of new passenger vehicle sales there.
“As long as the vehicle has a flex engine, it is irrelevant whether the blend is 15 per cent or 30 per cent; the performance is the same, and there is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In Brazil, the use of ethanol generated savings of 5 billion Brazilian reals for consumers compared with petrol prices,” Rosa said.
Most vehicles sold in India since 2023-24 are believed to be E20-compatible, while older vehicles are E10-compatible. The government has argued that older vehicles are also compatible with E20 fuel, although mileage may decline by 3-5 per cent. In India, ethanol blending with petrol has drawn criticism from consumers over concerns that some vehicles, particularly older models, could experience faster component wear, lower fuel efficiency and higher maintenance costs because they were not designed for E20.
On oil trade, the Brazilian minister said crude oil exports to India could increase in line with Brazil’s plans to boost production. Brazil is currently India’s fifth-largest crude oil supplier.
“Brazil is a big exporter of crude oil. There is great potential to expand crude oil exports to India. We are promoting exploration in new fields. Petrobras, our largest oil company, produced 2.40 million barrels of crude oil in 2025, about 11 per cent higher than the previous year. Brazil is also investing in renewable energy, including biomethane, hydrogen and biomass. It can be a major supplier and also help India with biofuel production. The idea for Brazil and India is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels,” Rosa said.
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Source : Business Standard
