India Notifies E30 Fuel Standards as Flex-Fuel Push Gathers Pace

India has notified standards for E22, E25, E27 and E30 fuels, marking the next step in the country’s ethanol-blending programme as policymakers widen the regulatory framework for higher ethanol fuels and flex-fuel vehicles. 

The development comes at a time when geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to keep global energy markets volatile, reinforcing India’s push to reduce crude oil dependence through alternative fuels and domestic ethanol production.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notification, published in the Gazette of India, said the new standards came into effect from May 15, 2026. 

The newly introduced standard, IS 19850:2026, covers specifications for “E22, E25, E27 and E30 Fuel, Admixture of Anhydrous Ethanol and Motor Gasoline for Usage in Positive Ignition Engine Powered Vehicles.” 

The notification is significant because it formally creates a fuel-quality framework for blends beyond E20, indicating that the government is beginning to prepare the ecosystem for the next stage of ethanol adoption.

The move also comes weeks after the government separately proposed draft amendments to recognise E85 and E100 fuels under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, signalling a broader policy direction towards higher ethanol and flex-fuel readiness.

Automakers have largely completed the transition towards E20-compatible vehicles, but higher blends such as E30, E85 and E100 are expected to require additional engineering and validation work around engine calibration, fuel-system durability, corrosion resistance and material compatibility.

Industry stakeholders have also pointed to the need for greater alignment across fuel infrastructure, dispensing systems and nationwide fuel consistency before higher ethanol blends can be rolled out at scale.

Even so, the latest notification gives automakers, suppliers and fuel companies an early regulatory direction as India gradually expands its ethanol-blending ambitions beyond the current E20 programme.

Apart from E30 fuel specifications, BIS also notified revised standards for Dimethyl Ether (DME) blended LPG and other industrial specifications. 

The notification was issued under Rule 15(1) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Rules, 2018.