India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market: SAF Blending Mandate & CORSIA Compliance Power Structural Growth, Forecasts 2032
Report Description
| Study Duration | 2021-2032 |
| Market Size (2025) | USD 0.18 Billion |
| CAGR (2026-2032) | 47.5% |
| Leading Segment | HEFA-SPK & Co-Processed SAF |
| Fastest Growing Segment | Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) & Power-to-Liquid (PtL) SAF |
| Market Size (2032) | USD 2.65 Billion |
Source: Market Research Outlook
Market Overview: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
The India sustainable aviation fuel market size is expanding rapidly, driven by the proposed 1% to 5% SAF blending mandate, rising global compliance requirements, and increasing investments in domestic production capacity. Valued at USD 0.18 billion in 2025, the market is projected to reach USD 2.65 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 47.5%.
The India sustainable aviation fuel market growth is supported by demand from domestic and international airlines, cargo operators, business aviation, defence applications, and corporate offtakers focused on decarbonisation. HEFA-SPK and co-processed SAF currently dominate consumption, while alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) and power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels are emerging as the fastest-growing segments.
Regulatory and policy frameworks are playing a central role. Global mechanisms such as CORSIA and ReFuelEU Aviation, along with standards like ASTM D7566, are shaping certification and sustainability requirements. In India, initiatives such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission are supporting advanced SAF pathways including e-SAF.
Global technology providers such as Honeywell UOP, LanzaJet, Topsoe, Shell, and Boeing are strengthening India partnerships, while domestic players including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Reliance Industries, Praj Industries, and Numaligarh Refinery are scaling production capacity.
As a result, the India sustainable aviation fuel market is transitioning toward a certification-driven, feedstock-secure, and export-oriented ecosystem, with strong long-term growth potential.
Key Report Takeaways: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
Key Market Drivers: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
National Decarbonization Mandate and 1% to 5% SAF Blending Targets Under Indian Civil Aviation Policy
Growth in the India sustainable aviation fuel market is being driven by clear policy direction from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which has announced an indicative 1% SAF blending target by 2027, scaling to 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030 across Indian domestic and international flights. India consumes approximately 8 million kilolitres of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) annually, with consumption growing at 12% to 14% per year, indicating that even a 1% blending mandate creates a structural near-term SAF demand pool of around 80,000 tonnes scaling rapidly through 2032. Major Indian oil marketing companies including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, along with Reliance Industries, have announced combined capacity build-out and co-processing trials supported by Praj Industries, Numaligarh Refinery, and Mangalore Refinery, creating strong structural pull-through demand for HEFA, ATJ, and co-processed SAF volumes across the India sustainable aviation fuel market.

Rising International Airline Pressure Under CORSIA and EU ReFuelEU Rules Creating Export-Oriented Offtake Pull
The India sustainable aviation fuel market is witnessing strong demand from international airlines driven by global mandates such as CORSIA and ReFuelEU Aviation, which together influence over 70% of global aviation activity.
The EU ReFuelEU regulation mandates 2% SAF blending from 2025, increasing to 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050, while CORSIA requires airlines to offset emissions above 2019 levels. This is creating a structural supply gap in global SAF availability.
As a result, the India sustainable aviation fuel market is emerging as a cost-competitive export hub, supported by abundant feedstock such as used cooking oil (UCO), sugarcane molasses, and agricultural residues.
Global players including Honeywell UOP, LanzaJet, Topsoe, Shell, and Boeing are expanding India-focused partnerships, while domestic producers are scaling CORSIA-certified SAF production capacity.
This growing export-oriented demand is positioning the India sustainable aviation fuel market as a key supplier in the global SAF value chain.
Abundant Feedstock Availability Driving Cost-Competitive SAF Production
The India sustainable aviation fuel market is strongly supported by abundant and diverse feedstock availability, positioning India as a cost-competitive SAF production hub. The country generates approximately 3 million tonnes of used cooking oil (UCO), over 200 million tonnes of crop residues, more than 350 million tonnes of sugarcane, and a large municipal solid waste base, creating one of the largest global feedstock pools for sustainable aviation fuel.
India’s ethanol ecosystem, growing at 18% to 22% annually under the Ethanol Blending Programme, provides a strong foundation for alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) SAF pathways. This feedstock advantage is accelerating project development across HEFA, ATJ, co-processing, and power-to-liquid (PtL) technologies.
Strategic partnerships between technology providers and domestic producers are scaling capabilities. Collaborations involving Praj Industries with LanzaJet, Indian Oil Corporation with Honeywell UOP, Bharat Petroleum with Topsoe, and Reliance Industries with Shell are advancing commercial-scale SAF production and technology deployment.
Government initiatives such as biofuel incentives, the National Bio-Energy Mission, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission are further strengthening production economics and supporting long-term expansion of the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Key Market Challenges: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
High Production Cost and Significant SAF Cost Premium Over Conventional Jet Fuel
The India sustainable aviation fuel market is structurally sensitive to the persistent cost premium of SAF over conventional jet fuel, with HEFA-SPK currently priced at 3x to 4x the cost of fossil ATF, ATJ at 4x to 5x, and emerging power-to-liquid (e-SAF) at 6x to 8x, reflecting feedstock cost intensity, capital intensity, and limited current scale. Conventional ATF in India trades at around USD 700 to USD 850 per tonne depending on Brent crude movements, while certified HEFA-SPK landed cost ranges between USD 2,200 and USD 2,800 per tonne, creating a meaningful cost pass-through challenge for airlines and complicating long-term offtake contracting. Without sustained policy support, blending mandates, carbon pricing, or tax incentives, this cost premium compresses producer margins and slows offtake adoption. Leading producers across the India sustainable aviation fuel market are responding through feedstock cost optimisation, scale-driven cost reduction, co-processing leverage, and CORSIA-eligible certification to capture premium global offtake pricing.
Limited Large-Scale Commercial Production Capacity and Dependence on Imported Technology and Catalysts
India remains structurally dependent on imported SAF technology, catalysts, and engineering expertise, with over 70% to 80% of commercial-scale SAF licensing, hydroprocessing catalysts, and specialty engineering services sourced from Honeywell UOP, LanzaJet, Topsoe, Shell, Velocys, and Neste. High-capability categories including Fischer-Tropsch reactor design, advanced hydroprocessing catalysts, ATJ dehydration and oligomerisation systems, and PtL electrolyser-CO2 integration see similar import intensity. Geopolitical tensions, technology export controls, and global SAF capex competition have exposed Indian project developers to extended lead times of 24 to 36 months on technology selection, FEED, and EPC mobilisation. While indigenisation efforts by Praj Industries, ONGC Energy Centre, and CSIR labs are expected to reduce this dependence over 2028 to 2030, technology and catalyst supply security remains a near-term strategic challenge in the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Feedstock Supply Chain Fragmentation, UCO Collection Inefficiency, and Competing Biodiesel Demand
The India sustainable aviation fuel market faces significant feedstock supply chain challenges, particularly around used cooking oil collection where India’s current organised UCO collection rate stands at less than 10% of the estimated 3 million tonnes annual UCO availability. Fragmented restaurant, hotel, and household UCO sources, weak collection logistics, and competing demand from the biodiesel sector under the RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative create structural feedstock security risk for HEFA SAF producers. Similarly, agricultural residue logistics, seasonality, and competing demand from biomass power, ethanol, and compressed biogas (CBG) under the SATAT scheme tighten available agri-residue volumes for ATJ and FT-SPK pathways. Compliance costs around CORSIA-eligible feedstock traceability, ISCC EU/CORSIA certification, and Bureau of Indian Standards specifications add another 5% to 8% to total cost. While these constraints create entry barriers, they also favour integrated, certification-led, and feedstock-secure players in the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Key Market Trends: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
Rapid Adoption of Co-Processing and HEFA Pathways at Existing Indian Refineries
The India sustainable aviation fuel market is undergoing a clear shift toward co-processing and HEFA-SPK pathways leveraging existing refinery hydrotreater capacity, with co-processing volumes growing at 55% to 70% annually, significantly outpacing greenfield SAF builds. Co-processing of vegetable oils, used cooking oil, and animal fats in existing diesel and ATF hydrotreaters at IOC Panipat, BPCL Mumbai, HPCL Mumbai, MRPL Mangalore, and Reliance Jamnagar offers a meaningful capital-light pathway to certified SAF supply, achieving 5% to 10% bio-jet content in finished ATF. ASTM D1655 specifications, ISCC EU/CORSIA certification, and ICAO CORSIA-eligible feedstock requirements are reshaping refinery operating practice. In 2025, technology majors including Honeywell UOP, Topsoe, Shell, and LanzaJet announced expanded India-specific co-processing and HEFA design partnerships, reinforcing the structural shift across the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Capacity Expansion by Indian OMCs, Reliance, and Praj Industries Supporting Global SAF Hub Ambition
A wave of dedicated SAF capacity expansion and technology partnerships is reshaping the India sustainable aviation fuel market supply landscape. Combined India-focused capital expenditure announcements in SAF and related biorefining exceeded USD 2 billion across 2023 to 2025. Indian Oil Corporation announced a dedicated SAF unit at Panipat, Bharat Petroleum signed technology agreements for HEFA and ATJ at Bina and Kochi, Hindustan Petroleum announced co-processing expansion at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam, Reliance Industries committed to large-scale SAF capacity at Jamnagar, and Praj Industries partnered with LanzaJet for India’s first commercial-scale ATJ-SPK plant. Numaligarh Refinery in Assam announced an integrated bio-refinery with SAF as part of its expansion. PLI-linked feedstock incentives, the National Bio-Energy Mission, and downstream offtake commitments from Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Vistara are structurally reinforcing demand growth in the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Rising Role of Long-Term Offtake Agreements Anchoring SAF Project Finance and Bankability
Long-term SAF offtake agreements between airlines, oil marketing companies, and producers are emerging as a critical commercial structure for the India sustainable aviation fuel market, collectively expected to underpin over 60% of total certified SAF volume contracts by 2032. Multi-year offtake agreements at 7 to 15 year tenors are growing rapidly, driven by airline ESG commitments, CORSIA compliance, EU ReFuelEU pass-through, and project bankability requirements. Leading domestic and international carriers including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Etihad, and Emirates have begun scaling India-linked SAF discussions and pilot offtake. Book-and-claim systems, voluntary SAF certificates, and corporate offtake from logistics players such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS are also expanding non-airline SAF demand. This structural offtake pull is reinforcing India sustainable aviation fuel market forecast 2032 across both domestic blending and export-oriented segments.
Segmental Insights: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
By End-User: Commercial Airlines Dominate the India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
The commercial airlines end-user segment dominates the India sustainable aviation fuel market, accounting for an estimated 78% to 82% of total SAF consumption, driven by strong demand from domestic narrow-body operators (IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air), the merged Air India group’s wide-body international operations, and foreign carriers operating into India under CORSIA pathways. Cargo and logistics operators including Blue Dart Aviation, SpiceXpress, IndiGo CarGo, FedEx, and DHL contribute another 8% to 10% of demand, while business and private aviation contributes 4% to 6%, and defence and military aviation contributes 4% to 6%. In 2025, leading commercial airlines including Air India and IndiGo scaled up SAF discussions and pilot offtake tied to CORSIA-eligible certified volumes from Indian and global producers, reinforcing the segment’s dominance in the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
By Fuel Type: HEFA & Co-Processed Lead While ATJ and PtL Grow Fastest
HEFA-SPK and co-processed SAF lead the India sustainable aviation fuel market product landscape, with HEFA-SPK accounting for approximately 45% to 48% of total consumption through 2028, followed by co-processed SAF at 18% to 22%, alcohol-to-jet (ATJ-SPK) at 12% to 15%, Fischer-Tropsch SPK at 6% to 8%, synthesized iso-paraffins (SIP) at 3% to 5%, and emerging power-to-liquid (PtL / e-SAF) at 1% to 2% in 2025 scaling rapidly toward 2032. Alcohol-to-jet, leveraging India’s strong sugarcane-ethanol ecosystem under the EBP programme, and power-to-liquid, leveraging the National Green Hydrogen Mission, are the fastest-growing categories within the India sustainable aviation fuel market, expanding at 60% to 75% annually, driven by long-term decarbonization mandates, CORSIA-eligible feedstock requirements, and corporate sustainability commitments.
Regional Insights: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
Regional analysis of the India sustainable aviation fuel market shows that West India and South India collectively account for approximately 56% to 62% of total SAF production capacity and offtake demand, driven by the concentration of major refining clusters in Gujarat (Jamnagar, Vadinar, Koyali), Maharashtra (Mumbai, Mahul), and Karnataka (Mangalore), along with strong aviation hubs at Mumbai (CSMIA), Bangalore (KIA), Hyderabad (RGIA), and Chennai (MAA). North India contributes around 22% to 26% of demand, led by IOC Panipat and Mathura refineries and Delhi (IGI) airport offtake demand, supported by surrounding agri-residue feedstock from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. East and Central India together account for 14% to 18% of demand, supported by Numaligarh Refinery’s pioneering bio-refinery in Assam, IOC Barauni, IOC Paradip, and growing aviation activity in Kolkata (NSCBI), Bhubaneswar, and Indore. In 2025, capacity additions and SAF announcements by Indian Oil Corporation in Panipat, Bharat Petroleum in Bina and Kochi, Hindustan Petroleum in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam, Reliance Industries in Jamnagar, Numaligarh Refinery in Assam, and Praj Industries with LanzaJet in Pune reinforced regional supply hubs, supporting closer collaboration with airlines, airport operators, and offtake partners across the India sustainable aviation fuel market.
Recent Developments: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market
Key Market Players: India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market

Report Scope
In this report, the India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to detailed analysis of key industry trends, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities across the forecast period:
Competitive Landscape
Company Profiles:
Detailed analysis of the leading companies operating in the India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market, including business overview, technology portfolio, project pipeline, strategic initiatives, competitive positioning, and recent developments.
Company Information
Detailed profiling and strategic analysis of additional market players (up to five companies), including emerging Indian biorefinery developers, specialty SAF technology specialists, global entrants, or niche pathway leaders.
The India Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market report is part of our ongoing research coverage. For early access, customised insights, or to confirm the release timeline, please contact our team at sarita@marketresearchoutlook.com
Table of Contents
*(Same Data Pointers Will Be Provided for The Below Companies)
** Financial information in case of non-listed companies will be provided as per availability*
*** The segmentation and the companies are subjected to modifications based on in-depth secondary for the final deliverable*