India striving to be ‘exporter’ of green energy: Nitin Gadkari at CMAI India Climate Week

In a landmark initiative to decarbonise aviation and position India as a global leader in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the India SAF Alliance was officially launched at the India Climate Week 2025 policymakers, industry leaders, and technology pioneers met. The event is organized by the Carbon Markets Association of India (CMAI) and will run until February 7.

An Alliance for India

India SAF Alliance was officially launched by Nitin Gadkari alongside prominent figures in the biofuels and aviation sectors, underlining the Alliance’s ambition to revolutionise air travel sustainability.  In his speech for building sustainable transport and green infrastructure for a sustainable future, Gadkari emphasised the need for transformative policies to integrate SAF into India’s aviation industry.

“The futuristic vision, futuristic development and futuristic planning is very important. Presently we are the importer of the energy and our dream is to exporter of the energy,” said Gadkari while appreciating the CMAI India SAF Alliance, and its stakeholders and extended his support for future.

Pioneering a Greener Future for Aviation

The India SAF Alliance, spearheaded by industry stalwarts and policymakers, aims to establish a robust ecosystem for SAF production, adoption, and innovation. This initiative aligns with India’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070 and reducing aviation’s carbon footprint.

Jimmy Olsson, Chairperson, India SAF Alliance and Founder of ZR2 Group, delivered compelling remarks on the vision and mission of the Alliance. “At the heart of our vision lies the aspiration to make SAF both sustainable and affordable. By fostering innovation and collaboration, we are setting the foundation for India to lead the global SAF revolution.”

Vijay Nirani, Co-Chairperson, India SAF Alliance & Founderof Trualt Bioenergy, held, “This initiative represents a significant leap in India’s efforts to reduce aviation emissions. With ambitious targets of a 1% SAF blend by 2027, 2% by 2028, and 5% by 2030, we are creating a blueprint for sustainable aviation in India and beyond.”

India aims to achieve 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending with conventional jet fuel by 2030, aligning with its carbon reduction and renewable energy goals. As the world’s third-largest aviation market, India is poised for rapid growth, increasing the demand for sustainable solutions like SAF. The global SAF market is set to grow significantly by 2030.

“CMAI has been at the forefront of accelerating India’s transition to a sustainable, net-zero future. Our mission is to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors and support India’s climate and sustainability goals. We gather for one of the most important initiatives of CMAI—the India SAF Alliance. This initiative is paramount for sectoral emission mitigation in hard-to-abate sectors, like aviation,” said Rohit Kumar, Secretary General, CMAI.

The India SAF Alliance focuses on three goals: reducing aviation emissions, generating Scope 3 mitigation credits, and empowering farmers through green jobs and agricultural residue management. This initiative positions India as a leader in sustainable aviation while supporting socio-economic development.

About the India SAF Alliance:

The India SAF Alliance, an initiative of the Carbon Markets Association of India, is dedicated to fostering SAF development, adoption, and policy advocacy. The Alliance aims to provide  highest-quality SAF and Scope 3 emission reduction solutions, incentivizing stakeholders worldwide and guiding the world toward a sustainable Net-Zero future along with bringing economic development at the grassroot level.

About India Climate Week

India Climate Week unites stakeholders to champion net-zero solutions by emphasizing inclusive whole-of-society engagement for decarbonization and resilience. It inspires scalable strategies for climate action and envisions cities worldwide embracing initiatives and best practices of civilisation to drive collective progress toward a sustainable future. The attendees include government officials, industry leaders, policymakers, international organizations, climate change experts, and representatives from academia and civil society.

About Carbon Market Association of India (CMAI)

The Carbon Markets Association of India (CMAI) is a leading not-for-profit industry group driving India’s transition to a net-zero future by decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors. Collaborating with key ministries like MoEFCC, MoP, MNRE, and NITI Aayog, CMAI provides policy advocacy, capacity building, and knowledge support. It plays a vital role in initiatives like the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) and Green Credit Programme (GCP). With over 3,500 supported projects, reducing 220 million tons of GHG emissions, CMAI leads efforts in carbon markets, sustainable fuels, and circular economy initiatives through the India SAF Alliance, India EPR Alliance, and more.