**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 1978 in Lok Sabha, addressed to the Minister of Civil Aviation, regarding the progress on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). It provides details on the Government's SAF policy formulation, blending targets, and alignment with international aviation emission reduction schemes. The question was scheduled to be answered on December 11, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **SAF Policy:**
* The Government has initiated steps for the formulation of a Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Policy/Guidelines.
* **Blending Targets:**
* Indicative blending targets for SAF in traditional ATF have been approved: 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030.
* These targets are initially for international flights.
* Public sector Oil Marketing Companies are actively engaged in achieving these targets.
* **Organizations Involved in SAF Research:**
* Various companies/PSUs, including Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Limited, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, CSIR Indian Institute of Petroleum, and Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, are currently working on SAF production/research.
* **CORSIA Alignment:**
* International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has adopted Carbon Offsetting & Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as a global market-based measure to reduce emissions from international aviation.
* Airlines can use SAF or offset emissions by purchasing carbon credits.
* CORSIA Eligible SAF, certified against ICAO's sustainability standards, can be claimed as substitutes for carbon credits.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Airlines**
* **Impact:** Encouraged to adopt CORSIA Eligible SAF to reduce lifecycle carbon footprint.
* **Action Required:** Adopt CORSIA Eligible SAF and verify through Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) to claim reductions as substitutes for carbon credits.
**Stakeholder: Oil Marketing Companies**
* **Impact:** Expected to actively engage in achieving the blending targets for SAF.
* **Action Required:** Increase SAF production and blending efforts to meet the set targets.
**Stakeholder: SAF Research and Production Companies (PSUs, Private Companies, Research Institutions)**
* **Impact:** Continued engagement in SAF production and research is necessary.
* **Action Required:** Continue and enhance research and production efforts to support the SAF Policy and blending targets.
Key Entities Referenced
Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Policy/Guidelines: Policy under formulation to promote the production and adoption of sustainable aviation fuels in India.
Carbon Offsetting & Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA): A global market-based measure adopted by ICAO to reduce emissions from international aviation.
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation of the SAF policy.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): The UN specialized agency that developed CORSIA and whose sustainability standards will be used for SAF.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1978
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11th December 2025 )
PROGRESS ON SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL
1978. SHRI TATKARE SUNIL DATTATREY
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) whether it is a fact that the Government is considering to launch a Sustainable Aviation
Fuel (SAF) Policy and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the targets being set by the Government for the usage/blending of SAF;
(c) the organisations such as PSUs, private companies and research institutions currently
involved in SAF research in the country;
(d) the manner in which the proposed policy would help in speeding up commercialisation of
technologies required for the production and adoption of SAF;
(e) whether the Government is considering any Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models for
the said production of SAF in view of the high investments required for SAF research and
production and if so, the details thereof;
(f) the ways in which the policy proposes to address feedstock challenges for SAF
production;and
(g) the manner in which SAF would help India align with the Carbon Offsetting and
Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) goals of the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO)?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar
Mohol)
(a) to (g): The Government has initiated steps for formulation of a Sustainable Aviation Fuels
(SAF) Policy/Guidelines.
The Government has approved indicative blending targets of 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028 and
5% by 2030 for SAF in traditional ATF, initially for international flights.Public sector Oil
Marketing Companies are actively engaged in achieving the stated blending targets.
Various companies/PSUs namely Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Limited,
Hindustan Petroleum Limited, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, CSIR IndianInstitute of Petroleum, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Institute of Petroleum
etc. are currently working on SAF production/research.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has adopted Carbon Offsetting &
Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as a global market-based measure to
reduce emissions from international aviation which require offsetting of emissions above a
baseline value.
Airlines can either use SAF or offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits from ICAO
approved Emissions Unit Programmes. SAF offers a direct pathway to emission reduction by
lowering the lifecycle carbon footprint of aviation fuel. When airlines adopt CORSIA
Eligible SAF (CORSIA Eligible Fuel) certified against ICAO's sustainability standards and
verified through Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV), they can claim these
reductions as substitutes for carbon credits, thereby decreasing their offsetting obligations
under the scheme.
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