No commitments relating to ethanol import from U.S. for fuel blending under FTA talks: Govt
The Indian government has denied reports suggesting that it has made commitments to import ethanol from the U.S. for fuel blending. Officials clarified that the national ethanol blending program relies exclusively on domestic production.
Why it matters
This clarification addresses concerns regarding trade policy and energy independence, emphasizing the government's focus on domestic agricultural and fuel supply chains.
The government on Thursday (August 6, 2026) said no concessions or commitments relating to the import of ethanol for fuel blending from the U.S. have been made in the India-U.S. trade pact discussions.
India's fuel blending programme and ethanol procurement continue to be governed solely by the country's domestic policy requirements, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.
It said that recent claims in the media suggesting that India is importing and intends to import large quantities of ethanol from the U.S. for fuel blending are baseless and factually incorrect.
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As per the domestic policy framework, it said, ethanol used for fuel blending under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol Programme is sourced entirely from domestic producers.
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