Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (Indian Oil) announced on Wednesday that it has become the first company in the country to receive the prestigious ISCC CORSIA certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production at its Panipat Refinery.
This certification marks a major step forward for India in the commercial production of SAF, ensuring it meets stringent international standards for sustainability and lifecycle carbon emissions. It also positions Indian Oil at the forefront of the country’s green aviation efforts.
The achievement was formally recognized at a ceremony in New Delhi, where international certifying agency Cotecna presented the certificate to Indian Oil Chairman A S Sahney. The event was attended by key government officials, including Rohit Mathur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Maneesh Kumar, Joint Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), alongside senior representatives from the DGCA, the Ministry of Petroleum, and the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
During the ceremony, leaders from Indian Oil, MoPNG, DGCA, NABCB, and Cotecna commended the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved—including the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)—for aligning India’s SAF production and certification processes with international best practices.
The ISCC CORSIA certification (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is granted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It confirms that SAF produced at Indian Oil’s Panipat facility complies with the highest global standards for sustainability and carbon lifecycle assessment.
The SAF developed at Panipat has undergone a comprehensive evaluation of its carbon footprint and traceability, paving the way for Indian airlines to begin adopting certified sustainable fuel. The move also sets a benchmark for other refiners in India to expand SAF production, supporting the national goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
Earlier this week, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu officially announced that Indian Oil’s Panipat facility had been certified as India’s first SAF production unit.
India’s commitment to cleaner fuels has already shown impressive results. Ethanol blending in petrol, which was at just 1.53% in 2014, reached 10% by 2022—five months ahead of schedule. The target for 20% blending (E20), initially set for 2030, was brought forward to 2025 and has already been met in the current Ethanol Supply Year.
This rapid progress has significantly reduced India’s reliance on imported crude oil, saving an estimated ₹1.36 lakh crore in foreign exchange.
