India plans to introduce BS-VII emission norms for new cars and sport utility vehicles from April 2029, followed by small goods delivery and pick-up vans from April 2030 and heavy-duty vehicles from April 2031, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
The proposed Bharat Stage-VII standards will be introduced in three phases for different vehicle categories. The official said the Road Transport and Highways Ministry has approved the proposed guidelines and that draft notifications are expected this week.
The new norms are planned to align fully with Euro 7 standards, which regulate vehicle emissions and seek tighter controls on pollutants produced during vehicle operation. The Indian standards will apply to new vehicles entering the market under the notified implementation schedule.
Bharat Stage standards set limits for pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter. These pollutants are linked to vehicle exhaust and are significant concerns in cities with high traffic volumes and dense urban development.
Under the reported schedule, new cars and SUVs will be the first vehicle category covered by BS-VII from April 2029. Small goods delivery vehicles and pick-up vans will follow a year later, from April 2030. Heavy-duty vehicles, including larger commercial vehicles, are scheduled to come under the standards from April 2031.
India currently follows BS-VI emission norms, which came into force in April 2020. The country moved directly from BS-IV to BS-VI after skipping BS-V, accelerating the transition towards tighter vehicle pollution controls. BS-VI vehicles produce lower emissions than vehicles compliant with earlier standards and operate on low-sulphur BS-VI fuel.
The phased approach separates the compliance timeline for passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles. The schedule means that manufacturers, suppliers and fuel-system stakeholders will have different preparation periods depending on the vehicle category covered by the rules.
The next formal step is the release of the draft notifications. The proposed notifications will set out the detailed technical and compliance requirements for BS-VII vehicles before the standards take effect according to the announced timeline.
