India expects to issue a notification later this year mandating the blending of isobutanol with diesel to increase energy security [1].
The move targets the country's heavy reliance on diesel, which is used far more extensively than petrol for transport and industry. Because diesel consumption in India is almost twice that of petrol consumption [1], the government believes blending this fuel will have a more significant impact on national energy security than previous petrol blending efforts [1].
Road Transport and Highways Secretary V Umashankar announced the plan during the CII Multimodal Transportation and Logistics Summit in New Delhi [1]. He said the mandate is a strategic shift to enhance alternative fuel solutions and lower overall emissions [2].
"Diesel consumption is almost two times that of petrol consumption; the impact of diesel blending will be far greater on our energy security than even petrol blending," Umashankar said [1].
This initiative comes as India seeks to optimize its logistics and infrastructure. Umashankar said that India's logistics cost currently stands at 10% to 10.7% of GDP [1]. He also highlighted the scale of recent development, citing cumulative infrastructure investments of $360 billion over the last decade [1].
Umashankar said India plans to introduce the mandate later this year to ensure a steady transition toward sustainable fuels [2]. He said the shift is poised to outpace the impact of ethanol-petrol blending due to the massive volumes of diesel used across the country [3].
“the impact of diesel blending will be far greater on our energy security than even petrol blending”
By shifting focus toward diesel blending, India is addressing its most critical fuel dependency. Because the logistics and commercial sectors rely heavily on diesel, isobutanol integration offers a more effective path to reducing crude oil imports and meeting climate goals than petrol-based initiatives alone.
