Amid the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded the Centre's ethanol blending policy for helping India reduce its dependence on imported crude oil.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Noida International Airport in Jewar, PM Modi thanked sugarcane farmers of Western UP for helping India save money on crude oil.
"Had it not been for ethanol blending, we would have had to import 4.5 crore barrels from abroad," PM Modi said, adding that the farmers have played a huge role in helping India save crucial foreign exchange.
PM Modi's statement comes amid high crude oil prices due to the conflict in West Asia, a region which supplies over 40 per cent of India's oil.
India's ethanol blending programme, which aims to reduce costly crude oil imports, save foreign exchange and lower carbon emissions, has received a big boost under the Modi government.
India met its target of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol last year, five years ahead of schedule. Notably, starting April 1, oil marketing companies have been mandated to supply ethanol-blended petrol, also called E20, across all states and Union Territories.
The government has also set the target of increasing ethanol in petrol to 30 per cent by 2030.
India has saved approximately Rs 1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange in the last 10 years by reducing its dependency on imported crude oil, said the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in July 2025.
Meanwhile, PM Modi has urged citizens to unite in order to tackle global challenges and achieve 'Viksit Bharat'.
"I once again appeal to the people of the country that we must face this crisis calmly, with patience and unity. This is a global crisis, but we must prioritise India's interests. That is our greatest strength," he said after inaugurating the new airport in Uttar Pradesh's Jewar.
PM Modi said that India is confronting the challenges arising from the ongoing conflict in West Asia with full strength.
Highlighting that India depends on energy supplies from the Middle East, the Prime Minister reiterated that the government has been taking necessary steps to ensure that people do not face a fuel shortage.
Source: ANI