India has achieved an overall readiness score of 52% for the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), indicating “moderate but advancing” preparedness as the country moves towards wider use of cleaner aviation fuel, according to a new assessment by Boeing and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB).
The assessment, released on Tuesday, examines India’s preparedness across nine areas and sets out a roadmap for developing a domestic SAF ecosystem. It comes as India prepares to begin meeting its indicative SAF blending targets and participate in the mandatory phase of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) from 2027.
Nine areas assessed
The assessment examined feedstock availability, SAF production capacity, policy and regulation, supply chains and logistics, market demand, investment and financing, research and development, technology readiness, and enabling infrastructure and services.
India was found to have relatively strong foundations in feedstock availability, production capacity and technological readiness. Abundant biomass, an established ethanol and refining industry and emerging production pathways were identified as important strengths.
However, the report said production potential alone would not guarantee large-scale adoption. Market demand, investment and financing, sustainability assurance and enabling infrastructure would require further development.
Demand set to rise
India has set indicative SAF blending targets of 1% in 2027, 2% in 2028 and 5% in 2030 for international flights. The country is also preparing for CORSIA requirements that become mandatory from 2027.
Under a 5% blending scenario, India’s SAF requirement for domestic and international aviation could reach about 720 million litres, or roughly 0.6 million tonnes annually, by 2030.
That compares with estimated domestic SAF production potential of between 14 million and 33 million tonnes annually, suggesting that India could eventually produce considerably more sustainable aviation fuel than its projected domestic requirement if the necessary ecosystem is developed.
Feedstock advantage
The assessment identified several potential feedstocks, including used cooking oil, agricultural residues such as rice straw, sugarcane bagasse and the biogenic fraction of municipal solid waste.
It envisages a phased transition, beginning with waste-based Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids routes before expanding Alcohol-to-Jet production by leveraging India’s established ethanol ecosystem.
Over the longer term, the report sees the potential for India to develop an export-oriented SAF industry aligned with international certification, traceability and lifecycle-emissions accounting standards.
Financing remains challenge
The report identified investment and financing as areas requiring greater attention, citing limited SAF-specific financing and relatively few bankable long-term offtake agreements.
It also highlighted the need to expand certification and testing capabilities and develop infrastructure capable of supporting production, transport, blending and distribution at scale.
Boeing India and South Asia president Salil Gupte said India, as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, had an important role in enabling sustainable aviation. He said the assessment identified both the country's existing capabilities and the areas requiring further development.
RSB Executive Director Bettina Paschke said India’s SAF opportunity was substantial, but translating its production potential into sustainable impact would require collaboration among government, industry, investors and other stakeholders.