Government keeps premium petrol ethanol-free; regular fuel to stay capped at E20
IOC, HPCL and BPCL will continue selling ethanol-free premium petrol, while the government says it has no current plan to blend regular petrol beyond 20%. E20 is sold at more than 100,000 pumps; ethanol-blended RON 95 motor spirit takes effect on April 1, 2026.
The government said premium ethanol-free petrol from IOC, HPCL and BPCL will continue, while regular petrol will remain capped at E20 with no plan to restore E0/E10. The policy affects fuel-retail logistics across more than 100,000 outlets.
Why this matters
The move extends IOC’s premium-fuel strategy while E20 remains the national standard, following signals that IOC, HPCL and BPCL would retain ethanol-free premium petrol and that state fuel retailers face a ₹75,000 crore loss.
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