Daily Briefing: India’s push for cleaner transport hits roadblocks amid E25 rethink, EV challenges

On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. 👇

🚨 Big Story

Facing mounting criticism over the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, the Centre is likely to postpone the introduction of petrol with a 25 per cent ethanol blend (E25). The move follows complaints from motorists about lower fuel efficiency and concerns that higher ethanol content could damage engines, particularly in older vehicles. While recent policy measures—including new fuel standards for higher ethanol blends and excise duty exemptions—had signalled a possible shift to E25, the government is now expected to adopt a more cautious approach. 

A day earlier, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Country Head and Executive Vice President Vikram Gulati had described ethanol as one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to decarbonise India’s road transport sector. However, he also cautioned that higher ethanol blends such as E25 should be introduced only after extensive testing across both new and older vehicles. Gulati advocated a technology-neutral approach, arguing that EVs, hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, CNG, biogas and hydrogen all have a role to play in India’s clean mobility transition, while stressing that supportive policies and consumer confidence will be crucial to its success.

The EV transition

As Delhi pushes to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, experts say the success of the city’s EV policy will depend on far more than increasing vehicle sales. Key challenges include rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, upgrading the power grid to handle higher electricity demand, and ensuring safe battery recycling. Experts also stress the need for smart charging systems, better urban planning and stronger coordination between government agencies and private players. Addressing consumer concerns over charging access and range anxiety, they argue, will be crucial for achieving Delhi’s clean mobility goals.

⚡ Only in Express

In today’s opinion piece, Yogendra Yadav argues that although concerns over the declining integrity of India’s electoral process make it reasonable to question participation in elections, boycotting polls would be a strategic mistake at this stage. He contends that despite the alleged erosion of electoral fairness through issues such as voter registration, campaign finance, media access and constituency delimitation, elections remain a vital platform for the Opposition to engage voters, expose irregularities, strengthen party organisation and build democratic resistance. Drawing on examples from countries such as Belarus and Hungary, Yadav argues that even flawed electoral systems can be challenged through sustained participation, especially when public discontent reaches a tipping point. He concludes that the Opposition should focus on building public awareness about alleged electoral manipulation rather than withdrawing from the democratic process.

📰 From the Front Page

Anti-sacrilege law: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhs, has been in the spotlight over its stance on Punjab’s new anti-sacrilege law. In an interview with The Indian Express, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj said the Sikh body’s objections are aimed at preventing the law’s misuse rather than opposing the legislation itself. He argued that the law should include strict safeguards to ensure innocent people are not implicated, clearly distinguish between deliberate sacrilege and administrative negligence, and hold the masterminds and organisations behind such acts accountable instead of targeting only direct perpetrators. Read more here. 

Baruipur tensions: Tensions remain high in West Bengal’s Baruipur following the brutal rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl. The victim’s family and locals accused the police of negligence, alleging a delayed search operation after a missing person complaint was filed Saturday. The outrage triggered severe backlash — a mob lynched local auto-driver Indrajit Mondol on Sunday over suspected involvement. Additionally, an angry crowd ransacked the home of local BJP leader Santanu Mondol, accusing him of aiding a suspect’s escape. While the Chief Minister has promised justice and three suspects have been arrested, heavy security forces have been deployed and gathering restrictions imposed to maintain order.

📌 Must Read

Gang crackdown: Delhi Police have linked the June 11 firing outside Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa’s gym in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar with the murder of a gym trainer in Haryana’s Hansi, alleging both were carried out by a module associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Investigators said the attacks were orchestrated by foreign-based handlers, with a six-member network coordinating logistics, weapons and the shooters. Police have arrested several accused, seized foreign-made pistols and invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to probe the wider syndicate. According to investigators, the firing at Randhawa’s gym was intended as a warning, underscoring the gang’s expanding cross-border operations and use of local recruits for targeted attacks.

Safety lapses: The collapse of an illegal building in Mumbai’s Mankhurd, which claimed six lives, has once again brought attention to the area’s widespread problem of unauthorised and unsafe constructions. According to an Indian Express report, the victims, including five children, were living in authorised ground-floor homes that were crushed when an adjacent illegal multi-storey structure collapsed. The tragedy has also highlighted the risks posed by weak soil, flooding and delayed rehabilitation projects, which have forced many residents to live in unsafe buildings. The incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement against illegal construction and faster redevelopment of vulnerable neighbourhoods.

⏳ And Finally…

In a proud moment for India, Haryana-born astrophysicist Devesh Nandal has been selected to serve on the newly formed US-based UAP Science Advisory Council, a team of leading scientists tasked with studying unexplained aerial phenomena through rigorous scientific research. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Nandal said his lifelong fascination with the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life inspired his journey. From representing Haryana in junior judo to pursuing cutting-edge astrophysics research at Harvard, his story reflects a remarkable journey of perseverance, curiosity and scientific excellence.

🎧Before you go, tune in to today’s 3 Things podcast. We unpack the controversy surrounding Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, the expanding probe into the alleged Ram Temple donation theft in Ayodhya, and the low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal that has triggered heavy rain, floods and landslides across western and central India.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, 

Anupama