In a decisive step towards decarbonising aviation, the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) convened a high-level roundtable on ‘Unlocking the Potential of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Sugar Biorefineries’. The discussion marked a pivotal moment as India gears up to meet its SAF blending obligations—1% by 2027, scaling up to 5% by 2030—under the CORSIA framework.
Stakeholders highlighted the immense potential of India’s sugar industry to produce potentially the lowest-carbon intensity SAF in the world using Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology—a globally proven pathway aligned with India’s abundant feedstock and broader quest net-zero ambitions. India could produce 19–24 million tonnes of SAF annually—well above domestic needs, even under a 50% blending scenario.
“The success of India’s Ethanol Blending Programme has shown that biofuels can transform both climate action and rural prosperity,” said Deepak Ballani, Director General, ISMA. “SAF represents the next frontier—one that can create green jobs, boost farmer incomes, and support India’s energy independence.”
To streamline efforts toward unlocking the latent potential of sugar biorefineries, ISMA is working closely with TERI and Deloitte to realise the industry’s capacity to become an SAF production hub—not just for India, but for Asia as a whole.
This roundtable brought together key stakeholders across the SAF value chain—government dignitaries, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, OMCs, technology providers, and public and private policy think tanks. Participation from government partners from Brazil and Japan reflected the international momentum to advance SAF and share best practices. A 1% blending mandate would impact over 500,000 farmers and generate 100,000+ green jobs, reaffirming SAF’s role as both a climate and development solution for India.
