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India Poised to Require Isobutanol Blends in Diesel This Year

The government says the policy will reduce emissions by substituting bio-derived isobutanol for part of diesel fuel.

Overview

  • On May 29, 2026, Road Transport secretary V. Umashankar said a formal notification for an isobutanol‑in‑diesel blending mandate is quite likely to be issued later this year.
  • The ministry has asked the Automotive Research Association of India to run flex‑fuel and vehicle tests that can assess engines on fuels with up to 100% isobutanol.
  • Bharat Petroleum has begun strategic trials and reported very encouraging initial results showing lower pollution and operational compatibility with existing diesel engines.
  • MoRTH will shortly publish a draft notification on truck‑trailer interchangeability to ease battery‑swap and charging challenges for heavy electric trucks by allowing the tractor unit to be swapped.
  • Separate pilots for hydrogen buses, expansion of barrier‑free tolling, and calls to fast‑track multimodal logistics parks reflect a wider push to cut freight emissions, improve fuel security, and lower logistics costs.