diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index bf1b83c2c8..d1cba58a63 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 * Added `snow spcs service execute-job` command, which supports creating and executing a job service in the current schema.
 * Added `snow app events` command to fetch logs and traces from local and customer app installations.
 * Added support for external access (api integrations and secrets) in Streamlit.
+* Added support for `<% ... %>` syntax in SQL templating.
 * Support multiple Streamlit application in single snowflake.yml project definition file.
 
 ## Fixes and improvements
diff --git a/src/snowflake/cli/_plugins/nativeapp/manager.py b/src/snowflake/cli/_plugins/nativeapp/manager.py
index 46575240a5..0bc7ccf604 100644
--- a/src/snowflake/cli/_plugins/nativeapp/manager.py
+++ b/src/snowflake/cli/_plugins/nativeapp/manager.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from functools import cached_property
 from pathlib import Path
 from textwrap import dedent
-from typing import Any, Generator, List, NoReturn, Optional, TypedDict
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Generator, List, NoReturn, Optional, TypedDict
 
 import jinja2
 from click import ClickException
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@
 )
 from snowflake.cli._plugins.stage.manager import StageManager
 from snowflake.cli._plugins.stage.utils import print_diff_to_console
-from snowflake.cli.api.cli_global_context import get_cli_context
 from snowflake.cli.api.console import cli_console as cc
 from snowflake.cli.api.errno import (
     DOES_NOT_EXIST_OR_CANNOT_BE_PERFORMED,
@@ -84,9 +83,13 @@
     identifier_for_url,
     unquote_identifier,
 )
+from snowflake.cli.api.rendering.jinja import (
+    jinja_render_from_str,
+)
 from snowflake.cli.api.rendering.sql_templates import (
-    get_sql_cli_jinja_env,
+    snowflake_sql_jinja_render,
 )
+from snowflake.cli.api.secure_path import UNLIMITED, SecurePath
 from snowflake.cli.api.sql_execution import SqlExecutionMixin
 from snowflake.connector import DictCursor, ProgrammingError
 
@@ -576,30 +579,36 @@ def create_app_package(self) -> None:
                 )
             )
 
-    def _expand_script_templates(
-        self, env: jinja2.Environment, jinja_context: dict[str, Any], scripts: List[str]
+    def _render_script_templates(
+        self,
+        render_from_str: Callable[[str, Dict[str, Any]], str],
+        jinja_context: dict[str, Any],
+        scripts: List[str],
     ) -> List[str]:
         """
         Input:
-        - env: Jinja2 environment
+        - render_from_str: function which renders a jinja template from a string and jinja context
         - jinja_context: a dictionary with the jinja context
-        - scripts: list of scripts that need to be expanded with Jinja
+        - scripts: list of script paths relative to the project root
         Returns:
-        - List of expanded scripts content.
+        - List of rendered scripts content
         Size of the return list is the same as the size of the input scripts list.
         """
         scripts_contents = []
         for relpath in scripts:
+            script_full_path = SecurePath(self.project_root) / relpath
             try:
-                template = env.get_template(relpath)
-                result = template.render(**jinja_context)
+                template_content = script_full_path.read_text(
+                    file_size_limit_mb=UNLIMITED
+                )
+                result = render_from_str(template_content, jinja_context)
                 scripts_contents.append(result)
 
-            except jinja2.TemplateNotFound as e:
-                raise MissingScriptError(e.name) from e
+            except FileNotFoundError as e:
+                raise MissingScriptError(relpath) from e
 
             except jinja2.TemplateSyntaxError as e:
-                raise InvalidScriptError(e.name, e, e.lineno) from e
+                raise InvalidScriptError(relpath, e, e.lineno) from e
 
             except jinja2.UndefinedError as e:
                 raise InvalidScriptError(relpath, e) from e
@@ -617,14 +626,10 @@ def _apply_package_scripts(self) -> None:
                 "WARNING: native_app.package.scripts is deprecated. Please migrate to using native_app.package.post_deploy."
             )
 
-        env = jinja2.Environment(
-            loader=jinja2.loaders.FileSystemLoader(self.project_root),
-            keep_trailing_newline=True,
-            undefined=jinja2.StrictUndefined,
-        )
-
-        queued_queries = self._expand_script_templates(
-            env, dict(package_name=self.package_name), self.package_scripts
+        queued_queries = self._render_script_templates(
+            jinja_render_from_str,
+            dict(package_name=self.package_name),
+            self.package_scripts,
         )
 
         # once we're sure all the templates expanded correctly, execute all of them
@@ -678,11 +683,10 @@ def _execute_post_deploy_hooks(
                         f"Unsupported {deployed_object_type} post-deploy hook type: {hook}"
                     )
 
-            env = get_sql_cli_jinja_env(
-                loader=jinja2.loaders.FileSystemLoader(self.project_root)
-            )
-            scripts_content_list = self._expand_script_templates(
-                env, get_cli_context().template_context, sql_scripts_paths
+            scripts_content_list = self._render_script_templates(
+                snowflake_sql_jinja_render,
+                {},
+                sql_scripts_paths,
             )
 
             for index, sql_script_path in enumerate(sql_scripts_paths):
diff --git a/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/jinja.py b/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/jinja.py
index 299cb8ac8c..e65bf6ceac 100644
--- a/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/jinja.py
+++ b/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/jinja.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 from pathlib import Path
 from textwrap import dedent
-from typing import Dict, Optional
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
 import jinja2
 from jinja2 import Environment, StrictUndefined, loaders
@@ -82,8 +82,32 @@ def getitem(self, obj, argument):
             return self.undefined(obj=obj, name=argument)
 
 
+def _get_jinja_env(loader: Optional[loaders.BaseLoader] = None) -> Environment:
+    return env_bootstrap(
+        IgnoreAttrEnvironment(
+            loader=loader or loaders.BaseLoader(),
+            keep_trailing_newline=True,
+            undefined=StrictUndefined,
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def jinja_render_from_str(template_content: str, data: Dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+    """
+    Renders a jinja template and outputs either the rendered contents as string or writes to a file.
+
+    Args:
+        template_content (str): template contents
+        data (dict): A dictionary of jinja variables and their actual values
+
+    Returns:
+        None if file path is provided, else returns the rendered string.
+    """
+    return _get_jinja_env().from_string(template_content).render(data)
+
+
 def jinja_render_from_file(
-    template_path: Path, data: Dict, output_file_path: Optional[Path] = None
+    template_path: Path, data: Dict[str, Any], output_file_path: Optional[Path] = None
 ) -> Optional[str]:
     """
     Renders a jinja template and outputs either the rendered contents as string or writes to a file.
@@ -96,12 +120,8 @@ def jinja_render_from_file(
     Returns:
         None if file path is provided, else returns the rendered string.
     """
-    env = env_bootstrap(
-        IgnoreAttrEnvironment(
-            loader=loaders.FileSystemLoader(template_path.parent),
-            keep_trailing_newline=True,
-            undefined=StrictUndefined,
-        )
+    env = _get_jinja_env(
+        loader=loaders.FileSystemLoader(template_path.parent.as_posix())
     )
     loaded_template = env.get_template(template_path.name)
     rendered_result = loaded_template.render(**data)
diff --git a/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/sql_templates.py b/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/sql_templates.py
index b2eea68e75..f832417670 100644
--- a/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/sql_templates.py
+++ b/src/snowflake/cli/api/rendering/sql_templates.py
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import Dict, Optional
+from typing import Dict
 
 from click import ClickException
-from jinja2 import StrictUndefined, loaders
+from jinja2 import Environment, StrictUndefined, loaders, meta
 from snowflake.cli.api.cli_global_context import get_cli_context
+from snowflake.cli.api.console.console import cli_console
+from snowflake.cli.api.exceptions import InvalidTemplate
 from snowflake.cli.api.rendering.jinja import (
     CONTEXT_KEY,
     FUNCTION_KEY,
@@ -26,26 +28,52 @@
     env_bootstrap,
 )
 
-_SQL_TEMPLATE_START = "&{"
-_SQL_TEMPLATE_END = "}"
+_SQL_TEMPLATE_START = "<%"
+_SQL_TEMPLATE_END = "%>"
+_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_START = "&{"
+_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_END = "}"
 RESERVED_KEYS = [CONTEXT_KEY, FUNCTION_KEY]
 
 
-def get_sql_cli_jinja_env(*, loader: Optional[loaders.BaseLoader] = None):
+def _get_sql_jinja_env(template_start: str, template_end: str) -> Environment:
     _random_block = "___very___unique___block___to___disable___logic___blocks___"
     return env_bootstrap(
         IgnoreAttrEnvironment(
-            loader=loader or loaders.BaseLoader(),
-            keep_trailing_newline=True,
-            variable_start_string=_SQL_TEMPLATE_START,
-            variable_end_string=_SQL_TEMPLATE_END,
+            variable_start_string=template_start,
+            variable_end_string=template_end,
+            loader=loaders.BaseLoader(),
             block_start_string=_random_block,
             block_end_string=_random_block,
+            keep_trailing_newline=True,
             undefined=StrictUndefined,
         )
     )
 
 
+def _does_template_have_env_syntax(env: Environment, template_content: str) -> bool:
+    template = env.parse(template_content)
+    return bool(meta.find_undeclared_variables(template))
+
+
+def choose_sql_jinja_env_based_on_template_syntax(template_content: str) -> Environment:
+    old_syntax_env = _get_sql_jinja_env(_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_START, _OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_END)
+    new_syntax_env = _get_sql_jinja_env(_SQL_TEMPLATE_START, _SQL_TEMPLATE_END)
+    has_old_syntax = _does_template_have_env_syntax(old_syntax_env, template_content)
+    has_new_syntax = _does_template_have_env_syntax(new_syntax_env, template_content)
+    if has_old_syntax and has_new_syntax:
+        raise InvalidTemplate(
+            f"The SQL query mixes {_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_START} ... {_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_END} syntax"
+            f" and {_SQL_TEMPLATE_START} ... {_SQL_TEMPLATE_END} syntax."
+        )
+    if has_old_syntax:
+        cli_console.warning(
+            f"Warning: {_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_START} ... {_OLD_SQL_TEMPLATE_END} syntax is deprecated."
+            f" Use {_SQL_TEMPLATE_START} ... {_SQL_TEMPLATE_END} syntax instead."
+        )
+        return old_syntax_env
+    return new_syntax_env
+
+
 def snowflake_sql_jinja_render(content: str, data: Dict | None = None) -> str:
     data = data or {}
 
@@ -57,4 +85,5 @@ def snowflake_sql_jinja_render(content: str, data: Dict | None = None) -> str:
 
     context_data = get_cli_context().template_context
     context_data.update(data)
-    return get_sql_cli_jinja_env().from_string(content).render(**context_data)
+    env = choose_sql_jinja_env_based_on_template_syntax(content)
+    return env.from_string(content).render(context_data)
diff --git a/tests/test_sql.py b/tests/test_sql.py
index a1ba6cd26b..12169b6115 100644
--- a/tests/test_sql.py
+++ b/tests/test_sql.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-
 from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile, TemporaryDirectory
 from unittest import mock
@@ -321,6 +320,7 @@ def test_use_command(mock_execute_query, _object):
         "select &{ aaa }.&{ bbb }",
         "select &aaa.&bbb",
         "select &aaa.&{ bbb }",
+        "select <% aaa %>.<% bbb %>",
     ],
 )
 @mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
@@ -332,7 +332,29 @@ def test_rendering_of_sql(mock_execute_query, query, runner):
     )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("query", ["select &{ foo }", "select &foo"])
+@mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
+def test_old_template_syntax_causes_warning(mock_execute_query, runner):
+    result = runner.invoke(["sql", "-q", "select &{ aaa }", "-D", "aaa=foo"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert (
+        "Warning: &{ ... } syntax is deprecated. Use <% ... %> syntax instead."
+        in result.output
+    )
+    mock_execute_query.assert_called_once_with("select foo", cursor_class=VerboseCursor)
+
+
+@mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
+def test_mixed_template_syntax_error(mock_execute_query, runner):
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        ["sql", "-q", "select <% aaa %>.&{ bbb }", "-D", "aaa=foo", "-D", "bbb=bar"]
+    )
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    assert "The SQL query mixes &{ ... } syntax and <% ... %> syntax." in result.output
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "query", ["select &{ foo }", "select &foo", "select <% foo %>"]
+)
 def test_execution_fails_if_unknown_variable(runner, query):
     result = runner.invoke(["sql", "-q", query, "-D", "bbb=1"])
     assert "SQL template rendering error: 'foo' is undefined" in result.output
@@ -356,12 +378,15 @@ def test_snowsql_compatibility(text, expected):
     assert transpile_snowsql_templates(text) == expected
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("template_start,template_end", [("&{", "}"), ("<%", "%>")])
 @mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
 def test_uses_variables_from_snowflake_yml(
-    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner
+    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner, template_start, template_end
 ):
     with project_directory("sql_templating"):
-        result = runner.invoke(["sql", "-q", "select &{ ctx.env.sf_var }"])
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            ["sql", "-q", f"select {template_start} ctx.env.sf_var {template_end}"]
+        )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     mock_execute_query.assert_called_once_with(
@@ -369,12 +394,19 @@ def test_uses_variables_from_snowflake_yml(
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("template_start,template_end", [("&{", "}"), ("<%", "%>")])
 @mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
 def test_uses_variables_from_snowflake_local_yml(
-    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner
+    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner, template_start, template_end
 ):
     with project_directory("sql_templating"):
-        result = runner.invoke(["sql", "-q", "select &{ ctx.env.sf_var_override }"])
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            [
+                "sql",
+                "-q",
+                f"select {template_start} ctx.env.sf_var_override {template_end}",
+            ]
+        )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     mock_execute_query.assert_called_once_with(
@@ -382,16 +414,17 @@ def test_uses_variables_from_snowflake_local_yml(
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("template_start,template_end", [("&{", "}"), ("<%", "%>")])
 @mock.patch("snowflake.cli._plugins.sql.commands.SqlManager._execute_string")
 def test_uses_variables_from_cli_are_added_outside_context(
-    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner
+    mock_execute_query, project_directory, runner, template_start, template_end
 ):
     with project_directory("sql_templating"):
         result = runner.invoke(
             [
                 "sql",
                 "-q",
-                "select &{ ctx.env.sf_var } &{ other }",
+                f"select {template_start} ctx.env.sf_var {template_end} {template_start} other {template_end}",
                 "-D",
                 "other=other_value",
             ]
diff --git a/tests_integration/test_sql_templating.py b/tests_integration/test_sql_templating.py
index 7d69acdf1f..2d0de60a5d 100644
--- a/tests_integration/test_sql_templating.py
+++ b/tests_integration/test_sql_templating.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_param(runner, snowflake_session):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
-        ["sql", "-q", "select '&{ctx.env.test}'", "--env", "test=value_from_cli"]
+        ["sql", "-q", "select '<% ctx.env.test %>'", "--env", "test=value_from_cli"]
     )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_param(runner, snowflake_session):
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_param_that_is_blank(runner, snowflake_session):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
-        ["sql", "-q", "select '&{ctx.env.test}'", "--env", "test="]
+        ["sql", "-q", "select '<% ctx.env.test %>'", "--env", "test="]
     )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_param_that_is_blank(runner, snowflake_session):
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_sql_undefined_env_causing_error(runner, snowflake_session):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
-        ["sql", "-q", "select '&{ctx.env.test}'"]
+        ["sql", "-q", "select '<% ctx.env.test %>'"]
     )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 1
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def test_sql_undefined_env_causing_error(runner, snowflake_session):
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_sql_env_value_from_os_env(runner, snowflake_session):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
-        ["sql", "-q", "select '&{ctx.env.test}'"], env={"test": "value_from_os_env"}
+        ["sql", "-q", "select '<% ctx.env.test %>'"], env={"test": "value_from_os_env"}
     )
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def test_sql_env_value_from_os_env(runner, snowflake_session):
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_param_overriding_os_env(runner, snowflake_session):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
-        ["sql", "-q", "select '&{ctx.env.test}'", "--env", "test=value_from_cli"],
+        ["sql", "-q", "select '<% ctx.env.test %>'", "--env", "test=value_from_cli"],
         env={"test": "value_from_os_env"},
     )
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_duplicate_arg(runner, snowflake_session):
         [
             "sql",
             "-q",
-            "select '&{ctx.env.Test}'",
+            "select '<% ctx.env.Test %>'",
             "--env",
             "Test=firstArg",
             "--env",
@@ -84,13 +84,16 @@ def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_duplicate_arg(runner, snowflake_session):
     assert result.json == [{"'SECONDARG'": "secondArg"}]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("t_start,t_end", [("&{", "}"), ("<%", "%>")])
 @pytest.mark.integration
-def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_multiple_args(runner, snowflake_session):
+def test_sql_env_value_from_cli_multiple_args(
+    runner, snowflake_session, t_start, t_end
+):
     result = runner.invoke_with_connection_json(
         [
             "sql",
             "-q",
-            "select '&{ctx.env.Test1}-&{ctx.env.Test2}'",
+            f"select '{t_start}ctx.env.Test1{t_end}-{t_start}ctx.env.Test2{t_end}'",
             "--env",
             "Test1=test1",
             "--env",