India, July 21 -- India's ethanol blending programme (EBP) has become one of the country's more visible energy security interventions. Launched in 2014 to cut crude oil imports, the programme has scaled rapidly since 2021 by incrementally blending ethanol produced from sugarcane, rice, and maize with petrol, reaching a milestone of 20% blending (E20) in 2025, five years ahead of the original target.

The next phase of the programme cannot be guided by narrow blending and petrol substitution targets alone. India now needs a more transparent way to account for ethanol's rising fiscal and sustainability implications, especially the pressure it places on land, water, and food systems.

Since 2014, official estimates credit the programme with ...