Praj Industries has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) to advance carbon assessment and certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in India. This tripartite partnership aims to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of sugarcane-derived SAF via the Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) pathway, aligning it with global sustainability benchmarks like ISCC and RSB CORSIA.
The collaboration marks a major milestone toward India’s goal of achieving a 1% SAF blending mandate by 2027 and 2% by 2028. The agreement will determine the carbon intensity of domestically produced SAF and develop certification standards tailored for India.
Praj Industries, a pioneer in India’s bio-economy space, already operates India’s first integrated SAF demo plant and has produced SAF in partnership with Indian Oil and AirAsia India. This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of green aviation infrastructure, highlighted by Prime Minister Modi during the 81st IATA AGM.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman of Praj Industries, stated that the MoU ensures India’s SAF development meets the highest global standards. ISMA’s Director General added that this is a demonstration of India’s sugar industry’s potential to become a leading SAF supplier in Asia.
This effort underscores India’s growing role in sustainable aviation and supports global decarbonization goals through indigenous innovation and certification frameworks.
