Govt to announce Sustainable Aviation Fuel policy soon: Civil aviation minister

New Delhi: “The Ministry has been taking robust steps to speed-up the SAF movement and we are committed to soon releasing the SAF policy,” Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Thursday, confirming that the government will shortly announce India’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Policy.

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Speaking at the ‘India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Summit’, organised by FICCI in partnership with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the minister said the aviation sector’s growing energy needs demand greater clarity, commitment, and collaboration among stakeholders. “Our ATF consumption is projected to reach 15–16 million tonnes by 2030 and 30–31 million tonnes by 2040. The solution here for all of us is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). With the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional jet fuels, SAF offers a direct way for all of us to reduce carbon footprint in aviation sector,” he stated.

India can lead global SAF production

Kinjarapu said that as an agricultural powerhouse with over 750 million tonnes of biomass, India has the capacity to become the global leader in SAF production. “SAF will not only help in addressing the challenge of growth versus sustainability but will also benefit with its huge scale impact by reducing crude oil import bill by USD 5–7 billion every year along with creating 1 million green jobs across the SAF value chain,” he added.

The minister noted that India’s aviation industry has expanded rapidly in recent years, with 90 new airports added in the last nine years, 400 new aircraft in operation, and scheduled flight movements up by 78 percent. “We plan to expand our airport network by 50 in the next 5 years and 200 in next 20–25 years along with a growth projection of 500 million annual passengers with growth rate of 10–12 percent in coming 10 years,” he said. With this growth, he added, India’s aviation share in transport emissions is expected to rise from 5 percent to 8–10 percent by 2030.

SAF crucial for India’s Net Zero aviation goals

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said the decarbonisation of aviation requires “shared responsibility, mutual respect and a spirit of solidarity,” adding that India is committed to being a proactive and principal partner in this global effort. “Our ambition is to achieve 5 percent SAF blending target 2030 which is not just a goal but a declaration of intent to lead by example,” he said.

FICCI’s Civil Aviation Committee chairman and Airbus India & South Asia president Jurgen Westermeier said SAF represents a transformative opportunity for India. “For India, the relevance of SAF extends far beyond just environmental targets — it can be a powerful economic enabler. By developing a domestic SAF industry, India can immediately and effectively enhance its energy security and sovereignty over its fuel supply chain,” he said.

Ashish Saraf, co-chairman of FICCI Civil Aviation Committee and vice president and country head (India) at Pratt & Whitney, said India’s aviation journey is “unstoppable” and that SAF will be the cornerstone of its Net Zero aviation story. “SAF alone could be responsible for reducing emissions by up to two-thirds, making it uniquely positioned not only to help India cut down emissions but also to take a leading role globally and become an export hub,” he added.

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