Mumbai: As India accelerates its transition towards cleaner mobility, industry leaders at the Sugar Ethanol Bioenergy India Conference (SEIC) 2026 called for a balanced and technology-neutral approach to transport decarbonisation, arguing that electric vehicles (EVs), flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) and other alternative fuel pathways should coexist rather than compete.
The panel discussion titled “EV vs. FFV: The Mojo Factor” explored key questions surrounding the future of mobility, including whether electric vehicles are a complete solution for cleaner air, whether emissions are being shifted elsewhere in the value chain, and how policymakers can provide a level playing field across technologies.
The session was moderated by Sreeraman Thiagarajan, Chief Executive Officer, JK India eAgriTech Ltd.
Speaking during the discussion, Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said India’s progress in biofuel adoption has been driven by coordinated efforts between the government and industry.
Gulati said the country’s ethanol blending programme has gained momentum due to policy support and collaboration among stakeholders.
“Biofuels are good. The government is moving fast in the ethanol blending direction and we are thankful for it,” he said.
He noted that oil marketing companies (OMCs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are working closely with the government to support the transition.
According to Gulati, the government is also conscious of consumer concerns and is working to address issues related to taxation, pricing and affordability.
He added that policy decisions indicate efforts to maintain a balanced approach between different mobility technologies.
“The government is careful in giving fair treatment to both EVs and FFVs,”* Gulati said, referring to recent measures aimed at supporting ethanol adoption.
Sharing the automobile industry’s perspective, Prashant Banerjee, Executive Director, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), said ethanol will play an important role in India’s mobility transition and economic growth.
“Ethanol has a very important role to play in mobility and the growth of India,”* Banerjee said.
He added that the industry has been urging the government to extend similar policy support to ethanol-powered vehicles as provided to electric mobility.
“We are requesting the government to reduce GST. Benefits given to EVs should also be extended to vehicles running on ethanol,”* he said.
Offering a broader energy transition perspective, Harish Mehta, President – Business Development, Reliance Industries Limited, said India’s mobility future will not be driven by a single technology.
Mehta observed that while compressed natural gas (CNG) expanded through regulatory and judicial support, biofuels have largely advanced through policy intervention.
“CNG received a boost through court intervention, while biofuel growth has been policy-driven,”* he said.
Highlighting India’s scale and diversity, Mehta said the country’s transport sector requires multiple solutions rather than a single pathway.
“India is the third-largest automobile market in the world. All multi-fuel pathways are necessary and are going to work in India,”* he said.
He further emphasised that future incentives should be designed from a technology-neutral perspective.
“Incentives should be viewed through the lens of technology neutrality. All technologies have to move together,”* Mehta said.
The discussion reflected growing industry consensus that India’s mobility transition will require a diversified approach, combining electric mobility, ethanol-based solutions and other alternative fuels to achieve energy security, lower emissions and long-term consumer adoption.
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