Fact Check: Bhutan Has Not Rejected Indian E20 Petrol Proposal

Several news items released on Saturday claimed that the neighboring kingdom of Bhutan had refused an Indian proposal to import E20 petrol, citing storage challenges as the reason. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas responded by labeling these reports as completely unfounded and beyond scientific verification. It noted that allegations linking E20 fuel to vehicle damage, higher pollution, or excessive water consumption in ethanol production have no scientific basis. Technical studies by automotive research institutes do not support such claims. According to the ministry, E20 usage can actually lower carbon emissions because ethanol’s carbon is biogenic.