‘No plan to blend ethanol with aviation fuel’: Minister Ram Mohan Naidu rejects Arvind Kejriwal’s claim

“Spreading misinformation on aviation safety only creates needless anxiety among air travellers. Passenger safety remains the Government’s highest priority,” the minister added.

Amid the public backlash on the rollout of E20 petrol — 80 parts petrol and 20 parts ethanol — Kejriwal has been protesting against E20 fuel being the only petrol variant available in the country, and has demanded that consumers be provided a choice of lower ethanol-petrol blends as well. He has also supported claims that E20 fuel can damage engines of older vehicles, but these claims have been categorically denied by the government. The AAP leader on Thursday broadened his attack on the government, claiming that plans were afoot to blend ethanol into ATF as well.

“Sources indicate that Modi govt plans to mix ethanol in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Experts say that this cud seriously compromise the safety of flights,” Kejriwal posted on X on Thursday morning. He also posted a news report from April, which had claimed that the government has allowed ethanol blending in ATF. “The engine of ur flight just might stop in the air. Will u risk flying in an aircraft running on adulterated aviation fuel? Time to have an educated and competent govt,” the AAP leader added.

In April, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) did notify changes in the definition of ATF to include its blends with specific synthesised hydrocarbons, there was no mention of ethanol. According to petroleum and aviation sector insiders, the synthesised hydrocarbons included in the definition referred to SAF — a cleaner non-fossil jet fuel that is very similar to ATF — and not ethanol. SAF is a renewable fuel derived from alternative feedstocks such as crops, biogenic residues, and waste materials, offering significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Government has notified an amendment to the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) (Regulation of Marketing) Order, 2001 (ATF Control Order) vide notification dated 17 April 2026. The amendment has been issued as an administrative measure to bring Aviation Turbine Fuel blended with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) under the ambit of the ATF Control Order. SAF consists of specially processed aviation grade hydrocarbons, that are chemically similar to ATF and fully compatible with aircraft engines. SAF does not alter the fundamental nature, safety, or performance of aviation fuel,” the MoPNG had said on April 23.

According to the MoPNG, the change in definition was necessary to facilitate bending of SAF with conventional ATF in the coming years, in line with global civil aviation norms and guidelines. Inclusion of SAF for aviation use undergoes ICAO-recognised rigorous testing process for aircraft engines as per established international standards, and only then the fuel is accepted for use.

Currently, there is no mandate for SAF blending in ATF in India, although the government has announced indicative targets of 1% blending in 2027, 2% in 2028, and 5% in 2030 for international flights. Adoption of SAF is slated to pick up globally amid a push by ICAO to decarbonise the global civil aviation sector. Some countries, notably the UK, European Union member states, Japan, and Singapore, have already announced SAF blending mandates, while the US is promoting SAF use through production incentives.

“ICAO is implementing CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) to control emissions from international flights. Mandatory phase of CORSIA begins from 2027, requiring international flights to offset emissions above a baseline level. The use of SAF can help reduce these offsetting requirements. Recognising this global requirement, the Government has already announced indicative blending targets of SAF in ATF for international flights as 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028, and 5% in 2030,” the MoPNG had said in April.

“Earlier, ATF was defined only as petroleum-based fuel meeting BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) specifications. The amendment expands this definition to also include SAF co-processed alongside ATF as per IS (Indian Standard) 1571 in petroleum refineries, and SAF conforming to IS 17081 blended with ATF, meeting IS 1571. This amendment is essential to keep India aligned with global supply chain of SAF,” the MoPNG had said, explaining the purpose of the changes notified in April.