Explained: What is sustainable aviation fuel that the govt now allows in jet fuel mix

The government has amended the Aviation Turbine Fuel (Regulation of Marketing) Order, 2001, to bring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blends under regulatory oversight, paving the way for wider adoption of cleaner fuels in India’s aviation sector.

In a notification dated April 17, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas expanded the definition of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to include blends with synthetic hydrocarbons, effectively removing regulatory hurdles for SAF usage at scale.

What is sustainable aviation fuel?

The amendment formally recognises SAF as a component of ATF. The fuel is produced from renewable feedstocks such as agricultural waste, used cooking oil, crops and other biomass.

According to the ministry, SAF consists of specially processed aviation-grade hydrocarbons that are chemically similar to conventional jet fuel and fully compatible with existing aircraft engines, ensuring no compromise on safety or performance.

Push to cut aviation emissions

The move aligns India with global efforts to decarbonise aviation, one of the hardest-to-abate sectors.

The government noted that the International Civil Aviation Organisation recognises SAF as a cleaner alternative capable of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional jet fuel.

India has already outlined indicative blending targets for international flights:

1% by 2027

2% by 2028

5% by 2030

These targets are expected to drive demand and help build a domestic SAF ecosystem, including production and supply chains.

Will it reduce oil imports?

SAF offers a potential pathway to reduce India’s reliance on imported crude oil, as it can be produced from locally available feedstock such as agri-residue and waste oils.

However, the impact is likely to remain limited in the near term, given the low initial blending targets. The substitution of conventional jet fuel will be gradual, meaning the effect on overall oil imports will be modest for now.

The regulatory change removes a key barrier for SAF adoption, indicating a policy push toward cleaner aviation fuels, even as scale and economic viability remain longer-term challenges.