New Delhi, April 29 -- New Delhi: Last month, Nitin Gadkari, union minister of road transport and highways, drove in a 100% bio-ethanol flex-fuel Toyota Innova to an event. Gadkari, who has been the driving force behind the changes in India's motor vehicle policies, has been particularly vocal about the use of locally produced bio-ethanol to power flex-fuel vehicles in India. He got behind the wheel of the Toyota Innova to drive the point home, urging the Indian automotive industry to adopt ethanol as an eco-friendlier and cost-effective option to petrol.

India ranks third globally in crude oil imports, after China and the US. It imported 87.7% of its crude oil (233.1 MMT) requirements in 2023-24, according to data from the ministry of p...