New Delhi, June 16 -- India's ethanol blending programme has reached a significant milestone by achieving E20 - a 20 per cent ethanol blend in petrol - ahead of schedule in 2025-26, up from around 1.5 per cent in 2013-14.

However, a new KPMG report titled 'Beyond E20: Repositioning ethanol as India's transport energy backbone' argues that this achievement marks an inflection point rather than an endpoint, and that a fundamental shift in how ethanol is used within India's transport fuel system is now needed.

From Blending Component to Energy Backbone

The report positions ethanol as a potential "transport energy backbone" capable of reducing India's dependence on crude oil imports and moderating the impact of global price volatility.

Gi...