TBM Staff - Mumbai In a significant development, AirAsia India flight i5-767 departed from Pune to New Delhi using a blend of indigenous sustainable aviation fuel supplied by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) in partnership with Praj Industries Ltd (Praj).
Union minister of petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, received the special flight at the airport.
“This flight is a significant milestone in the country’s efforts towards sustainable aviation. In keeping with the country’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan mission, the SAF was produced indigenously by Praj Industries using captive agricultural feedstock,” said Puri.
“This would be the first domestic commercial passenger flight with SAF blending up to 1% as demonstration mode. By 2025, if we target to blend 1% SAF blending in jet fuel, India would require around 14 crore litres of SAF per annum. More ambitiously, if we target for 5% SAF blend, India requires around 70 crore litre of SAF/ annum,” he added.
Speaking about the initiative, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, AirAsia India and Air India Express, said, “We are proud to announce that AirAsia India has successfully completed the first commercial flight using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel in collaboration with IOCL and Praj Industries. As part of the Tata group and a subsidiary of Air India, we are committed to innovation and collaboration in order to mitigate environmental impact. This flight marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts towards a more sustainable future for Indian aviation. We hope that this initiative will serve to further the adoption of indigenous, sustainable aviation fuel. Sustainability is deeply ingrained in our organisation’s DNA, and we are determined to continue on the path towards more sustainable operations.”
Speaking on this development, Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman, Praj Industries, said, “Showcasing the capability to fly using locally produced SAF is a historic moment for India. This is another demonstration of the important role of the farming community, by way of Annadata to Urjadata, in India’s journey towards energy independence and green growth. We value our ongoing partnership with IOCL and are delighted that, on this occasion, AirAsia has joined us in the journey towards cleaner skies for tomorrow.“
