The commerce and industry ministry has clarified that no concessions or commitments have been made regarding the import of ethanol from the United States (US) for fuel blending as part of the ongoing India-US trade negotiations. It said India's fuel blending programme and ethanol procurement continue to be governed solely by the country's domestic policy requirements.
As per the domestic policy framework, the ministry said ethanol used for fuel blending under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol Programme is sourced entirely from domestic producers. India does not import ethanol from the US for fuel blending. E20 fuel, a blend of 80 per cent petrol and 20 per cent ethanol, is reshaping the country's retail fuel landscape.
It noted that India and the US have been negotiating a bilateral trade agreement since March, with eight rounds of negotiations completed so far. In February, the two countries finalised the terms of reference for the first phase of the proposed bilateral trade agreement.
