NEW DELHI - India’s auto industry said it would revamp numbers furnished to the government as it withdrew its first warning of damage to vehicle parts caused by contaminated ethanol-blended fuel, stoking consumer anger over the contentious policy.

The move on Aug 4 came hours after media reported the group’s warning, sparking public uproar and forcing the Petroleum Ministry to issue a clarification.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said in a statement: “The referred numbers reported in the media need authentication... and therefore SIAM is withdrawing its earlier communication.”

SIAM, which sent its warning on July 28, and the recipient, India’s Petroleum Ministry, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

With their letter, seen by Reuters, India’s automakers accept for the first time issues stemming from a mandatory policy that sparked street protests, legal cases and consumer anger after the government rolled it out at 90,000 fuel pumps.

The lobby group did not deny the issue of contamination in its statement, but said some numbers quoted “need authentication through collection of elaborate data... across the country followed by a comprehensive consultation”.

The group, whose members include Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota Motor and Mercedes Benz, did not say when the efforts would be completed, however.

Questions from vehicle owners

Vehicle owners are at best sceptical about the U-turn.

“​Did the science change overnight, or did the ministry call?” Nachiket Deshpande, one of dozens of angry social media users, asked on social media platform X.

The policy of blending ...