India Scores 52% SAF Readiness in Boeing-RSB Assessment, Sets Phased Blending Targets to 2030
Why It MattersIndia's phased SAF mandate and CORSIA entry signal a widening gap between fuel production potential and near-term aviation decarbonisation policy across South Asia.
India has achieved a 52% readiness score for sustainable aviation fuel adoption, according to a joint assessment by Boeing and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. The report found that while India has established several foundations for SAF adoption, scaling up will require coordinated progress across policy, financing, infrastructure, technology and supply chains.
India has set a phased SAF blending roadmap of 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030. At the 2030 target level, annual SAF demand from domestic and international aviation is projected to reach approximately 720 million litres, or 0.6 million tonnes, while India's estimated SAF production potential stands at 14 million to 33 million tonnes per year, substantially exceeding that demand figure.
The report cautioned that higher production capacity alone will not be sufficient to accelerate adoption, and that policy support, investment, supply-chain development and technological capability must expand in parallel with production. India has also committed to joining the International Civil Aviation Organization's CORSIA programme from 2027, adding a further policy dimension to its aviation decarbonisation efforts. Boeing India and South Asia President Salil Gupte noted that India's position as one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets gives the country a significant role in shaping the trajectory of sustainable aviation.
