FCC

Centre Yet to Identify Airports for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Blending Infrastructure

2025-08-20

The Union Government has approved indicative SAF blending targets for aviation turbine fuel (ATF) used in international flights. Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, stated in Parliament that India aims to achieve a 1% SAF blend by 2027, increasing to 2% in 2028 and 5% by 2030.

This initiative aligns with India’s commitment to the mandatory phase of the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Under CORSIA, airlines are required to offset carbon emissions exceeding a baseline to reduce their environmental impact.

Mohol highlighted that public sector oil companies are actively developing pilot and commercial-scale production facilities for SAF through standalone plants and co-processing methods.

Despite these developments, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet designated any airports for establishing SAF blending infrastructure, even as the 2026 deadline approaches. This delay poses a challenge to meeting the government’s ambitious blending targets within the stipulated timeline.