Putrajaya, Malaysia, 7th July 2026:
In a landmark step towards accelerating aviation decarbonisation across Asia-Pacific, the SAF Association (SAFA) and NGen Energy Sdn Bhd had launched the India–APAC Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Working Group – a high-level regional platform designed to drive policy leadership, industry collaboration, investment mobilisation, and market development for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The announcement marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between the SAF Association and NGen Energy to establish one of the region’s most influential industry-led platforms dedicated to advancing the SAF economy across India and the Asia-Pacific.
As governments and aviation stakeholders intensify efforts to meet net-zero commitments, the India–APAC SAF Working Group will serve as a catalyst for regional cooperation, bringing together policymakers, airlines, airports, energy companies, fuel producers, technology developers, certification bodies, financial institutions, investors, research organisations, and international agencies to collectively shape the future of sustainable aviation.
The Working Group aims to become the leading platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action on SAF across the region, helping bridge policy ambitions with commercial implementation while strengthening regional supply chains and investment opportunities.
Building the Future of the Regional SAF Economy
The India–APAC SAF Working Group will focus on five strategic pillars critical to the development of a globally competitive SAF ecosystem:
● Feedstock Development – Unlocking sustainable feedstock potential through agricultural residues, municipal solid waste, industrial waste streams, biomass, and next-generation feedstocks.
● Certification & Sustainability Standards – Promoting internationally recognised sustainability certification, lifecycle emissions accounting, and harmonised sustainability frameworks.
● Regional SAF Trade & Supply Chains – Facilitating cross-border trade, commercial partnerships, offtake agreements, logistics integration, and market access across the Asia-Pacific region.
● Policy Leadership & Harmonisation – Encouraging coordinated policy development, regulatory alignment, and knowledge exchange between governments and industry.
● Investment & Project Development – Connecting investors, project developers, financial institutions, and technology providers to accelerate bankable SAF projects and large-scale commercial deployment.
Beyond policy discussions, the Working Group will establish specialised task forces, executive roundtables, technical committees, investment forums, research collaborations, capacity-building programmes, and annual regional dialogues to accelerate implementation across the SAF value chain.
Establishing a Regional Leadership Platform
The India–APAC SAF Working Group represents a shared commitment by the SAF Association and NGen Energy to build an enduring regional institution capable of supporting the next generation of sustainable aviation growth.
By fostering stronger collaboration between India and the Asia-Pacific region, the initiative seeks to position the region as one of the world’s leading centres for SAF production, innovation, investment, technology deployment, and sustainable aviation policy.
The Working Group will actively engage with governments, multilateral organisations, financial institutions, industry associations, and private sector stakeholders to create practical pathways
for scaling SAF production and accelerating aviation decarbonisation.
Rohit Kumar, Secretary General, SAF Association, said, “The transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel is no longer a national conversation – it is a regional and global imperative. The India–APAC SAF Working Group reflects our vision of creating a permanent platform that brings together governments,industry, finance, technology providers, and academia to collectively shape the future of sustainable aviation. The SAF Association is committed to providing strategic leadership that transforms dialogue into implementation, accelerates investment, and builds resilient regional SAF value chains. Together with NGenEnergy, we are laying the foundation for a new era of cooperation that will help position India and the Asia-Pacific as global leaders in sustainable aviation.”
LT Leong, President & Executive Director, NGen Energy Sdn Bhd, said, “The future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel will be built through partnerships that combine policy vision with industrial capability. As Malaysia strengthens its role in the regional clean energy transition, NGen Energy is proud to partner with the SAF Association in establishing the India–APAC SAF Working Group. We see this platform as a catalyst for attracting investment, enabling technology collaboration, strengthening regional supply chains, and accelerating commercially viable SAFprojects. Together, we are creating a strategic platform that will help define thefuture of sustainable aviation across Asia-Pacific.”
