Kejriwal, Malviya, Naidu Clash Over Ethanol Blending in Aviation Fuel

A big argument is happening in India about airplane fuel.

A leader named Arvind Kejriwal said the government wants to mix ethanol, a plant-based fuel, into airplane fuel, and he said experts warn this could make flying dangerous.

Amit Malviya replied that this is not true, saying the government is not adding raw ethanol to airplane fuel.

Instead, he said, the government is only allowing a special fuel called Sustainable Aviation Fuel, which is made carefully and is very similar to normal airplane fuel.

India's Civil Aviation Minister, K Rammohan Naidu, also said there is no plan to mix ethanol into airplane fuel and called the claim completely false.

He said passenger safety is the government's highest priority, and that Sustainable Aviation Fuel must pass strict safety tests set by international groups like ICAO.

Kejriwal also said the government might later mix more ethanol into car petrol, just like it did with E20 fuel.

He is asking the government to make public any study reports about that earlier change.

Malviya said the government has clearly stated it has not decided to increase ethanol beyond E20, and any future change would be based on careful study and talks with car makers.