India will host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

SAF is a lower-carbon alternative to conventional aviation turbine fuel (ATF) that comes from crude oil. SAF is made from renewable or waste-based feedstocks such as agricultural residue, used cooking oil and other biomass. 

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) did not respond to Business Standard's request for a statement on this matter.

SAF use in India is still at an early stage. India has set indicative SAF blending targets for international flights of one per cent from 2027, two per cent from 2028 and five per cent from 2030.

According to sources, the proposed BRICS cooperation could address some of the biggest hurdles to scaling up SAF. The first was feedstock availability. Mapping raw materials across member countries would provide a clearer picture of what resources are available for SAF production, where they are located and which production pathways can use them.

This could be particularly relevant for India, which is looking at agricultural residue, waste and other domestic resources to build its SAF industry. The government is also pushing oil marketing companies to develop production capacity ahead of the expected increase in demand from 2027. Indian Oil is developing SAF production at its Panipat refinery, while Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are also working on SAF projects.

The second area of cooperation could be certification. SAF has to meet technical and sustainability requirements before it can be used commercially and recognised under international aviation frameworks. Differences in certification systems between countries can make its usage on commercial flights more difficult. 

The third area of cooperation could be "Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV)". These systems establish how emissions reductions from SAF are measured and verified across the fuel's lifecycle. Aligning BRICS countries' MRV frameworks with international standards would make it easier for airlines, regulators and fuel producers to establish the carbon benefit of SAF and support its use for international aviation compliance.

The initiative comes as global aviation prepares for the mandatory phase of the International Civil Aviation Organization's CORSIA emissions scheme from 2027. 

CORSIA is basically a global system that makes airlines pay for the growth in their aviation industry's carbon emissions. From 2027, airlines covered by the scheme will have to calculate how much carbon dioxide they emit on international flights and, if their emissions create an offsetting obligation, buy approved carbon credits to compensate for those emissions. Using SAF is one easy way to reduce emissions.