India has rapidly growing demand for energy and transport fuels, while its domestic oil production is insufficient to meet the demand. However, the Indian government has started to develop various biodiesel promotion programmes, such as the $300 million National Biofuels Programme  which encourages biofuels development and production in the country.

In conjuction with the programme, the Indian Government is also in the process of mandating the blending of biodiesel with fossil diesel. a 5% blend is expected to be introduced shortlym with potential to increase to 20% by 2020.

As a tropical country, India has a choice of a wide variety of domestic plants with sufficient volume potential to be used as feedstock for biodiesel production, as follows: -

• Sal (Shorea r.)
• Neem (Azadirachta i.)
• Physic nut (Jatropha c.)

With the government support, India has the potential to be one of the major producers of biodiesel.