New Delhi, May 19 -- India has laid the technical groundwork for petrol blended with up to 30% ethanol, signalling the government's intent to move beyond the ongoing E20 rollout as geopolitical tensions and volatile crude prices sharpen the country's energy security concerns.

In a notification dated 18 May, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified norms for E22, E25, E27 and E30 fuel blends, which refer to petrol blended with 22%, 25%, 27% and 30% ethanol, respectively.

India is currently implementing E20 fuel adoption nationwide, while industry bodies and biofuel manufacturers have increasingly advocated movement towards E22 and higher blends citing surplus ethanol availability and the need to reduce oil import dependence.

The mo...