India Vehicle Standards Gap Narrows to 2–3 Years: MoRTH

India Narrows Vehicle Standards Gap With Global Markets

India has significantly reduced the distance between its vehicle standards and those followed by advanced automotive markets, according to Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Speaking at the 8th FADA Auto Retail Conclave 2026 in New Delhi, Ahmed said the India vehicle standards gap is now generally only two to three years in some areas, while the country matches or exceeds international standards in several others. His assessment represents a major shift from the situation 10 to 15 years ago, when India was roughly a decade behind markets such as Western Europe and Japan. The progress reflects a broader effort to bring Indian vehicle regulations and safety expectations closer to global benchmarks.

Global Alignment Supports Automotive Competitiveness

Ahmed linked the improvement to sustained cooperation across the automotive ecosystem, including regulators, vehicle manufacturers, testing agencies, standards-setting organizations and academia. Greater alignment with international requirements can help Indian automakers develop products that are competitive beyond the domestic market, while also supporting export opportunities. He emphasized that manufacturers need to continue to “make in India” while ensuring their vehicles are engineered to compete globally. The narrowing standards gap therefore has implications beyond regulatory compliance, potentially strengthening India's position as a vehicle development and manufacturing base for international markets. This closer integration with global practices also creates a stronger foundation for manufacturers seeking to expand their international presence.

Bharat NCAP Builds Momentum on Vehicle Safety

Vehicle safety remains a key area in which the government wants consumers to become more informed. Ahmed said 11 automakers have voluntarily submitted vehicles for assessment under Bharat NCAP, with 38 models receiving safety ratings between one and five stars. He stressed that dealerships can play an important role because they are a direct point of interaction between automakers and customers. Rather than focusing primarily on features such as sunroofs and audio systems, buyers should also consider the safety equipment and performance of a vehicle. Ahmed said dealers can help communicate this information to consumers at scale and encourage more safety-conscious purchasing decisions, making safety ratings a more visible factor in vehicle selection.

Commercial Vehicles Face Broader Safety Requirements

The government's safety focus also extends to commercial vehicles, where several active and emerging requirements are intended to reduce risks associated with vehicle operation. Ahmed cited driver drowsiness warning systems, lane departure warning, emergency braking and electronic stability control as examples of technologies being introduced for commercial vehicles. These measures indicate a broader move toward incorporating active safety and electronic control systems into vehicle requirements, rather than relying only on traditional passive protections. The approach is particularly relevant for vehicles used intensively for passenger and freight transportation, where driver behavior, vehicle stability and timely intervention can materially influence road safety outcomes. The evolving requirements reflect a wider emphasis on preventive safety technologies across the vehicle ecosystem.

Bus Body Approval Requirements Become More Stringent

Bus safety is another area receiving tighter regulatory attention following incidents involving fires in buses and sleeper coaches. Ahmed said the government has moved bus body builders toward a type-approval regime, replacing the earlier self-certification approach. This change places greater emphasis on formal assessment and approval of bus-body designs before they are accepted for use. Taken together with commercial-vehicle safety technologies and Bharat NCAP assessments, the move illustrates how India's regulatory framework is becoming more structured around measurable safety performance. Continued coordination among government agencies, manufacturers, testing organizations and dealers will remain important as Western Europe and other advanced markets continue to influence global safety benchmarks, while India develops its own increasingly comprehensive mobility framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far behind advanced automotive markets is India on vehicle standards?
India is now generally two to three years behind advanced automotive markets in some vehicle-standard areas, while matching or exceeding global standards in several others. Mahmood Ahmed said this represents substantial progress compared with 10 to 15 years ago, when India was roughly a decade behind markets such as Western Europe and Japan. The narrowing gap has been supported by cooperation among regulators, automakers, testing agencies, standards organizations and academia, while stronger alignment is also helping Indian manufacturers develop products suitable for international competition and export markets.