Boeing-RSB Report Finds India Making Steady Progress on SAF Adoption

Boeing and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials
(RSB) on 29 September 2026 launched a comprehensive report assessing India’s
readiness for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) adoption, providing an
evidence-based roadmap for the country’s next phase of SAF development. The
report finds India’s overall SAF readiness to be 52 percent, indicating
moderate but advancing readiness as the country moves from early-stage
development towards wider SAF adoption.
The report examines and uncovers strengths and
opportunities in India’s SAF adoption journey, as aviation demand continues to
grow. It has been developed by RSB using a methodology which evaluates India’s
preparedness across nine dimensions — feedstock, production capacity, policy
and regulation, supply chains and logistics, market demand, investment and
financing, research and development, technology readiness, and enabling
infrastructure and services.
India has set blending targets of 1 percent by 2027, 2
percent by 2028, and 5 percent by 2030, and is committed to participate in the
International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction
Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) from 2027. Under a 5 percent
blending scenario in 2030, SAF demand covering both domestic and international
aviation is projected at approximately 720 million liters (about 0.6 million
tonnes per year), compared with an estimated production potential of 14–33
million tonnes per year.
Aligned with the industry, Boeing is committed to
support airline customers and policymakers in India and globally in achieving
their emissions reduction goals by helping to build a robust SAF ecosystem.
“As one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation
markets, India has an important role in enabling sustainable aviation – and
pursuing a deliberate and well-researched path to SAF adoption is key.” said
Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India & South Asia. “This report is valuable
because it confirms exactly where India has the foundational capacity to enable
SAF adoption and because it identifies specific opportunities ahead,” Gupte
added.
RSB’s analysis shows that India’s opportunity will
depend not only on production potential, but on the coordinated development of
the wider enabling ecosystem.
RSB is a collaborative network of global organisations
advancing the just transition to a net-positive world. Drawing on more than 150
organisations across multiple sectors, regions and industries, RSB has
developed a science-based sustainability framework shaped through
multi-stakeholder governance, providing a rigorous foundation for addressing
the social and environmental challenges of the bio-based and circular economy.
“India's Sustainable Aviation Fuel opportunity is
substantial. This assessment gives stakeholders a common evidence base from
which to act, and RSB looks forward to continuing to convene and support the
collaboration needed to translate India's potential into sustainable impact,”
said RSB’s Executive Director, Bettina Paschke.
Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced
technologies and is committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian
aerospace sector – developing local suppliers and shaping academic and research
collaborations with Indian institutions. Boeing has strengthened its supply
chain partnering with more than 375 local companies in India and a joint
venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters and vertical fin
structures for the 737 family of airplanes.

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