Brazil’s Trade Minister Márcio Fernando Elias Rosa has praised India’s ethanol blending programme, saying the country’s move towards higher ethanol blending is supported by scientific research and can deliver both environmental and economic benefits. Speaking to Business Standard in New Delhi, Rosa said Brazil’s experience shows that higher ethanol blends can be safely used in vehicles designed for such fuels.
Rosa said Brazil has scientifically established that flex-fuel vehicles can safely operate with ethanol blends of up to 32 per cent in petrol. Brazilian authorities are also studying the possibility of increasing the petrol-ethanol blend to 35 per cent, although the research is still underway. He stressed that decisions on higher blending levels should be based on technical and scientific assessments.
According to Rosa, India has followed a similar approach by expanding its ethanol blending programme. He said Brazil hopes more countries will adopt biofuels because of their environmental and economic advantages. Brazil currently has one of the world’s highest mandatory ethanol blending levels and is widely recognised as a global leader in large-scale bioethanol adoption.
Brazil’s transition towards ethanol was supported by the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles in 2003. Today, flex-fuel vehicles account for a major share of new passenger vehicle sales in the country. Rosa said that when vehicles are equipped with flex-fuel engines, different ethanol blends do not significantly affect vehicle performance. He also highlighted the economic benefits of ethanol, saying its use in Brazil has generated savings of around 5 billion Brazilian reais for consumers compared with petrol prices.
India has also rapidly expanded ethanol blending in petrol. Most vehicles sold in the country since 2023–24 are compatible with E20 fuel, which contains 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol. However, concerns remain over older vehicles that were designed for lower ethanol blends such as E10. While the government has maintained that older vehicles can safely operate on E20 with only a limited reduction in mileage, some consumers and industry observers remain concerned about fuel efficiency, component wear and long-term maintenance costs.
The Brazilian minister also highlighted opportunities for greater energy cooperation between Brazil and India. Brazil is a major crude oil producer and exporter, and Rosa said there is significant potential to increase crude oil exports to India. Brazil is already among India’s major crude oil suppliers, making energy trade an important area of bilateral economic cooperation.
Rosa said Brazil is expanding exploration and developing new oil fields. Petrobras, Brazil’s largest oil company, produced around 2.40 million barrels of crude oil per day in 2025, an increase of about 11 per cent from the previous year. At the same time, Brazil is investing heavily in renewable energy sources, including biomethane, hydrogen and biomass.
He said Brazil could support India not only as a crude oil supplier but also through cooperation in biofuel production and renewable energy. According to Rosa, the broader objective for both countries is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while expanding the use of cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
India’s ethanol blending programme is therefore emerging as an important area of cooperation between the two countries, combining Brazil’s long experience in biofuels with India’s growing focus on ethanol production, fuel blending and energy security.
