Centre yet to identify airports for sustainable fuel infrastructure

The Union Government has approved indicative blending targets for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for international flights, but is yet to identify any airport for setting up SAF-blending infrastructure.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol recently said in Parliament that the Centre was aiming for a 1 per cent SAF blend in ATF by 2027. The government will further raise it to 2 per cent in 2028 and 5 per cent by 2030.

The move is in line with India’s obligation to comply with the mandatory phase of the ‘Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation’ (CORSIA) from 2027, as adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Under CORSIA, airlines must offset carbon emissions above a set baseline.

Mohol said public sector oil companies were setting up pilot and commercial-scale facilities to produce SAF, through both standalone and co-processing plants.

However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet identified any airport for SAF blending facilities, despite the 2026 timeline.