The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) plans to introduce stricter BS-VII emission standards for new cars and SUVs from April 1, 2029, PTI reported citing a draft gazette notification dated October 12.
The proposed norms will be implemented in three phases over six years, with the rollout scheduled to extend until April 2035. The move is aimed at tightening limits on harmful emissions from vehicles as India seeks to strengthen its pollution-control framework.
Under the proposed timeline, the first phase will begin in April 2029, followed by the second phase in April 2031 and the third in April 2035, according to the draft notification, the news agency said.
The proposed standards are expected to impose stricter limits on pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM).
The proposed BS-VII norms will apply to new vehicles covered by the regulations and will not affect existing vehicles or their remaining service life, including cars and SUVs that comply with the current BS-VI standards.
This means owners of existing BS-VI-compliant vehicles will not be required to replace their vehicles solely because the new emission standards are introduced, according to the details provided in the draft notification.
However, the proposed rules could require automakers to adapt their vehicles and emission-control systems to meet the tighter standards as the phased rollout progresses.
Bharat Stage (BS) emission standards are regulations that prescribe limits on pollutants emitted by motor vehicles. These include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter.
The standards are aligned with European emission norms and are intended to reduce vehicular pollution by progressively tightening permissible emission limits.
By setting stricter requirements for new vehicles, the standards seek to reduce the release of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.
India implemented BS-VI emission standards from April 1, 2020, skipping the BS-V stage to move directly from BS-IV to BS-VI and accelerate efforts to curb vehicular pollution.
BS-VI vehicles emit significantly lower levels of certain pollutants than vehicles complying with earlier standards. The transition also required the use of low-sulphur BS-VI fuel.
The proposed BS-VII framework would mark the next step in tightening India’s vehicle emission regulations, with implementation spread across three phases between 2029 and 2035.
The BS-VII framework is currently at the draft notification stage. The proposed timelines and requirements may be subject to changes before the rules are finalised. Automakers and consumers will need to monitor subsequent government notifications for details on the final standards and their implementation.
