The aviation industry in India is advancing towards integrating sustainable practices, with the government targeting specific blending percentages for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in upcoming years. An official from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has highlighted that mandating SAF blending without providing incentives could be detrimental to airlines, which are vital for national connectivity and economic growth.
Tuhin Sen, IATA's Head of Sustainability in India, emphasized the importance of fostering technological development through incentives before imposing blending mandates. He warned that without such supportive measures, airlines may face unintended challenges that could undermine sustainability efforts.
Government Initiatives and Industry Outlook
The Indian government plans to implement policies aimed at reducing crude oil imports, increasing farmers' incomes, and creating green jobs, with a focus on SAF production. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu indicated that a comprehensive SAF policy will soon be released, leveraging India’s extensive biomass reserves and agricultural residues—over 750 million tonnes and 213 million tonnes surplus, respectively—as feedstock sources.
The official stance underscores a balanced approach that combines incentives and infrastructure development to ensure the aviation sector’s sustainable growth while avoiding adverse effects on airlines and connectivity.
