Maruti Suzuki India has backed the automobile industry’s request to delay the rollout of Bharat Stage-VII (BS-VII) requirements, saying the government must first discuss a sustainable implementation roadmap and the likely impact on vehicle prices and the car market.
Hisashi Takeuchi, managing director and chief executive officer of Maruti Suzuki, said the company was aligned with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in seeking discussions with the government on the proposed rules. He was speaking during a post-earnings call on Tuesday.
“BS-VII is now being discussed among SIAM members, and we will consult with the government as an industry body… certainly, there will be an impact on pricing once BS-VII comes,” Takeuchi said. He added that the details were still being discussed and that the industry first needed to work with the government on a roadmap that would be sustainable for both the industry and the nation.
The proposed standards would expand the regulatory focus beyond vehicle exhaust emissions. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released draft BS-VII rules dated October 12 that include tyre-abrasion requirements and limits on brake-particle emissions for passenger cars. These provisions would address non-exhaust sources of particulate pollution generated through the use of vehicles.
According to the ministry’s draft framework, the rules would be introduced in three phases over six years, beginning in April 2029 and extending to April 2035. The first phase is scheduled to start in April 2029, the second in April 2031 and the third in April 2035.
SIAM has reportedly written to the ministry seeking the introduction of the brake and tyre requirements from April 2035 instead of April 2031. The request followed feedback from tyre and brake suppliers, according to the report. The industry body’s proposal therefore concerns the timing of specific requirements within the wider BS-VII rollout rather than an abandonment of the proposed emissions framework.
For cities, the issue links vehicle affordability with the regulation of urban air pollution. Brake and tyre particles are generated during everyday traffic operations, meaning that compliance requirements could affect not only vehicle manufacturers but also component suppliers and buyers. The draft rules place the government in the position of balancing the timing of cleaner-mobility standards with the industry’s concerns over cost and market conditions.
Takeuchi said the industry also needed to maintain sales momentum. He said Maruti Suzuki’s sales were performing above the previous year’s levels, even though the comparison base had become high after the Goods and Services Tax reforms in September 2025. He described the company as positive about the near-term market.
The company’s position does not amount to a final government decision on the requested delay. The next step is consultation between SIAM, its members and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on the proposed roadmap and the timing of the brake and tyre requirements.
