New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The development of sustainable jet fuels is a much-needed step to decarbonise the economy and there is also the need to rapidly adopt new propulsion technologies such as electric, hydrogen and hybrid at a large scale, President Droupadi Murmu said on Saturday.

Speaking at a conference in the national capital, she also emphasised that the decarbonisation of aero-propulsion is an onerous task 'we will have to undertake because climate change and global warming are threatening the very existence of humans'.

According to her, the development of sustainable jet fuels is one of the much-needed steps to decarbonise the economy but it is hardest to achieve because traditional fuels are of very high density.

'Finding non-fossil sustainable resources which could replace these traditional fuels should be the priority objective because we are approaching a climate tipping point. To reduce our carbon footprint, we need to rapidly adopt new propulsion technologies at a large scale, such as electric, hydrogen, and hybrid,' Murmu said.

    She was addressing the international conference-cum-exhibition on 'Aerospace and Aviation in 2047' organised by the Aeronautical Society of India to commemorate its 75th anniversary.

The aerospace sector has been undergoing a transformative phase by bracing up for speed and runway-independent technologies for defence purposes, air mobility and transportation, she said and added that there is also the demanding task of cultivating human resources well versed and ready to tackle these issues in right earnest.

'At the same time, there is also a need for upskilling and reskilling of the current workforce,' she added.

    Mentioning about the successful completion of the Mars mission and the safe landing and roving near the Moon's South Pole, Murmu said India has proved that it has the willpower, potential, and capacity to accomplish what it sets out to achieve.

    'The highest standards of quality, cost-effectiveness and punctuality have been the hallmarks of all of our projects. Future Aditya L1 and Gaganyaan missions will not only boost India's standing and embolden research but will also help humanity as a whole,' she said. PTI RAM ANB ANB