India AI Summit: India could emerge as a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel and solve for pollution, says Airbus India MD

Jurgen Westermeier

India has the potential to emerge as a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), supported by its agricultural resources, engineering talent and growing focus on clean technology, according to Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director for India and South Asia at Airbus.

Speaking about sustainability in aviation, Westermeier said India possesses the necessary raw materials — particularly agricultural residue — along with a strong engineering talent pool that could enable the country to become a major producer of sustainable aviation fuel.

He suggested that creating viable business models around collecting crop stubble, instead of burning it, could simultaneously address air pollution and fuel sustainability challenges.

“If we would be able to make it a business to collect the stubble on the fields, rather than burn it, it could be a major step forward. Because as long as it is not a business case. It will be hard to stop,” Westermeier noted commenting on air pollution in Delhi.

He stressed that sustainability should be embedded into technological design from the outset, with artificial intelligence playing a key role in improving efficiency, optimising resource use and helping industries move toward net-zero goals.

According to him, AI must remain human-centric and ethical, serving as an enabler that enhances human capability rather than replacing it.

Westermeier noted that aviation already benefits from AI-driven efficiencies, though he described the sector’s potential for further innovation as vast.