President Droupadi Murmu Calls for Sustainable Jet Fuels, New Propulsion Technologies

President Droupadi Murmu has called for the development of sustainable jet fuels and the rapid adoption of new propulsion technologies such as electric, hydrogen and hybrid to decarbonise the economy and combat climate change.

President Droupadi Murmu emphasized the need to develop sustainable jet fuels and rapidly adopt new propulsion technologies such as electric, hydrogen, and hybrid at a large scale to decarbonise the economy. She was speaking at the international conference-cum-exhibition on Aerospace and Aviation in 2047 organized by the Aeronautical Society of India to commemorate its 75th anniversary.

Decarbonisation of Aero-Propulsion

President Murmu said that the decarbonisation of aero-propulsion is an onerous task that we will have to undertake because climate change and global warming are threatening the very existence of humans. She emphasized that the development of sustainable jet fuels is one of the much-needed steps to decarbonise the economy but it is hardest to achieve because traditional fuels are of very high density. Finding non-fossil sustainable resources which could replace these traditional fuels should be the priority objective because we are approaching a climate tipping point.

Adoption of New Propulsion Technologies

To reduce our carbon footprint, we need to rapidly adopt new propulsion technologies at a large scale, such as electric, hydrogen, and hybrid, Murmu said. She added that the aerospace sector has been undergoing a transformative phase by bracing up for speed and runway-independent technologies for defence purposes, air mobility, and transportation.

Skilling and Reskilling of Workforce

The President also stressed the need for cultivating human resources well versed and ready to tackle these issues in right earnest. At the same time, there is also a need for upskilling and reskilling of the current workforce, she added.

India's Space Missions

Mentioning about the successful completion of the Mars mission and the safe landing and roving near the Moon's South Pole, Murmu said India has proved that it has the willpower, potential, and capacity to accomplish what it sets out to achieve. She added that the future Aditya L1 and Gaganyaan missions will not only boost India's standing and embolden research but will also help humanity as a whole.

President Murmu's speech highlighted the importance of developing sustainable jet fuels, adopting new propulsion technologies, and skilling and reskilling the workforce to decarbonise the economy and address the challenges of climate change. She also expressed confidence in India's ability to achieve its goals in the field of aerospace and aviation.