18 Sept 2025
India is preparing to position itself as a global exporter of ethanol, with the government calling on producers and suppliers to scale up production and capture international markets.
Addressing an event organised by the Grain Ethanol Manufacturers Association (GEMA) in New Delhi, the Union Food Minister underscored ethanol’s role as a cornerstone of India’s energy transition.
“Looking ahead, I encourage the industry to enter the global market by exporting ethanol and realise the vision of Hon’ble Home Minister Amit Shah. Sustainable innovation, new technologies, farmer partnerships, and decentralised rural industrialisation will enable India to emerge as a global model for sustainable development, energy security, and rural prosperity, helping us achieve the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” the Minister said.
He highlighted that India’s success in achieving E20 ethanol blending five years ahead of schedule reflects the Centre’s vision and commitment under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The Minister also outlined related clean energy goals, including a 5% biodiesel blending target by 2030, along with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending targets of 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030.
In addition, the government has launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission to promote the production, usage, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives, while also setting up a Centre of Excellence for Biofuels at the National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, to advance innovation in the sector.
Reinforcing the vision, Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya noted:
“India is the world’s third-largest ethanol producer and growing fast. Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, ethanol is not just a fuel policy but a rural empowerment programme. As we march toward net zero, biofuels are a powerful nation-building tool.”
India’s ethanol blending achievements underline its progress. Since the launch of the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, blending has risen from 38 crore litres in 2013-14 to 707.4 crore litres in 2023-24, helping the country achieve an average blending rate of 14.6% in ESY 2023-24.
In the ongoing ESY 2024-25, ethanol blending reached 19.9% in June, with a cumulative average blending rate of 18.9% between November 2024 and June 2025 — placing India on the verge of meeting its 20% blending target by 2025-26.