NEW DELHI, APRIL 22: To decrease reliance on oil imports, the Union Government has authorized the blending of ethanol and other man-made hydrocarbons with aviation turbine fuel (ATF). A notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) revealed that the Aviation Turbine Fuel (Regulation of Marketing) Order, 2001, has been amended to broaden the official definition of jet fuel to include these newer variants.
The revised standards now recognize ATF as a mixture meeting IS 1571 specifications or blends involving synthetic hydrocarbons under IS 17081 standards. While the notification establishes the legal framework for these alternatives, officials stated that no mandatory blending targets have been prescribed for the immediate future. The move is viewed as a critical step toward aligning India with global aviation trends, where countries like Japan and the UK are already mandating the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Government representatives asserted that the shift is intended to lower emissions while strengthening energy security. Under the current roadmap, India aims to implement a 1 percent SAF blend for international flights by 2027, eventually scaling up to 5 percent by 2030 to comply with international mandates. Officials maintained that utilizing feedstocks like agricultural residues, sugar, and waste oils will be essential for producing these synthetic hydrocarbons.
The gazette notification also updated enforcement provisions to align with modern criminal procedures. Authorities declared that the expanded definition allows the industry to move toward sustainable feedstocks without disrupting existing marketing protocols. Although targets for domestic flights remain undecided, the ministry affirmed that the policy framework is now in place to support a gradual transition toward a greener aviation sector.
