India unveils SAF feasibility report

India’s ministry of civil aviation, in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization and with support from the European Union, announced Sept. 3 that it has officially released a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feasibility study for the country.

The launch event was addressed by Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, the union civil aviation minister; Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, the secretary of civil aviation; Shri Faiz Ahmed, the director general of civil aviation; and Jane Hupe, ICAO’s deputy director for the environment of the air transport bureau.

Undertaken under the ICAO Assistance, Capacity-building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF), the feasibility study assesses the potential for producing and utilizing drop-in SAF in India.

It evaluates domestic feedstock availability, viable production pathways, infrastructure and policy readiness and the enabling conditions needed to establish a robust domestic SAF market.

Drawing upon international best practices and tailoring them to India’s socioeconomic and environmental context, the report provides a roadmap for sustainable fuel adoption.

The study is being deliberated at a two-day workshop at Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi, with participation from ICAO, industry partners and multiple government departments, reflecting a whole-of-government approach toward SAF.

Welcoming stakeholders to this landmark event, the minister underscored SAF’s critical role in advancing India’s sustainable aviation growth.

He reaffirmed India’s readiness to become self-sufficient in SAF production, targeting 1 percent blending by 2027, 2 percent by 2028 and 5 percent by 2030 in line with the CORSIA mandate.

“SAF is a practical and immediate solution to decarbonize the aviation sector, with the potential to cut lifecycle-CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional fuel,” he said.

He further highlighted that with over 750 million metric tons of available biomass and nearly 230 million tons of surplus agricultural residue, India has the capacity not only to meet its own SAF demand but also to emerge as a global leader and exporter.

Naidu pointed to important milestones already achieved, including the designation of Cotecna Inspection India Pvt. Ltd. as the country’s first SAF certification body and the certification of Indian Oil Corp.’s Panipat Refinery as India’s first SAF producer.

The minister emphasized that SAF production will not only reduce crude imports and cut emissions by 20 million to 25 million tons annually, but also boost farmers’ incomes by creating a strong value chain for agricultural residue and biomass.

“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is on track to become the world’s largest domestic aviation market,” the minister said. “With a collaborative approach, we are committed to positioning India as a leader in green aviation.”

The secretary underlined that global warming is a collective challenge and mitigating its impact is a shared responsibility.

He reiterated India’s commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and emphasized that India already operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient aircraft fleets in the world.

He also noted that 88 airports have already transitioned to 100 percent green-energy usage, setting benchmarks for global best practices.

Ahmed, the director general of civil aviation, highlighted India’s position as the third-largest aviation market, with passenger traffic expected to double to 500 million by 2030.

He stated that the SAF feasibility study will provide strategic insights to shape India’s national SAF policy framework, ensuring that sustainability remains integral to India’s aviation growth story.

The SAF feasibility report marks a significant step in the ministry of civil aviation’s commitment to creating a robust SAF ecosystem in India.

This vision is anchored in a long-term policy framework that supports both the production and utilization of SAF.

With strong supply-side dynamics and significant sources of low carbon-intensity feedstocks such as energy crops, agricultural waste and municipal solid waste, India holds immense potential to emerge as a global leader in SAF production.