India on Thursday began producing ‘reference’ petrol and diesel, joining a select league of nations that produce the highly specialised fuel which is used for testing automobiles.
Launching the fuel, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the start of production of ‘reference’ fuel is another step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) as it will end imports.
These fuels, which have higher specifications, are critical for calibrating and testing by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and the Automotive Research Association of India. For decades, India has relied on imports to meet the demand for these specialised fuels.
