The Indian government is preparing to introduce BS-VII emission standards, aligned with Euro 7 norms, in phases from April 2029.

The standards will set limits on pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter, emitted by vehicles in India. BS-VII standards will initially apply to new cars and SUVs manufactured from April 2029, followed by small goods delivery vehicles and pick-up vans from 2030, and buses and heavy-duty vehicles from April 2031. The standards for two-wheelers will be notified at a later date.

Unlike BS-VI, which was implemented in April 2020, BS-VII will not require changes to refinery infrastructure to produce petrol and diesel that meet the new emission requirements, officials said. However, automobile manufacturers will need to upgrade engines to comply with the standards.

According to information obtained by media sources, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved the proposed timeline. Draft notifications for the three vehicle categories are expected over the next few days. The proposed standards will not apply retrospectively to existing vehicles or affect their operational life, including vehicles compliant with BS-VI standards.

The proposed standards will expand emissions monitoring beyond controlled laboratory tests to assess whether vehicles comply with prescribed limits under real-world driving conditions and throughout their operational life. Implementation will take place in three phases between April 2029 and April 2035.

Under the finalised standards, the limits for various emission components in cars and SUVs will remain unchanged compared with BS-VI. However, the particulate number threshold will be reduced from 23 nanometres to 10 nanometres. This change will bring smaller particles within the scope of the requirements. Such particles can penetrate deeper into the lungs. A person familiar with the matter said the change would bring ultrafine particles, which have not been regulated so far, within the scope of the standards.

The transition from BS-VI to BS-VII is expected to have a greater impact on trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed standards aim to reduce emissions across pollutants by 20-50%, with stricter requirements for emissions under on-road driving conditions.

People involved in drafting the standards said BS-VII would cover non-exhaust emissions, including those generated by brake wear and tyre abrasion, in addition to tailpipe emissions. The standards will also introduce market surveillance, under which independent testing agencies will conduct compliance checks on vehicles in use.

Officials said the standards are aligned with Euro 7, which is being implemented in phases, beginning in November 2026 for light-duty vehicles and May 2028 for heavy-duty vehicles. The implementation process is expected to continue until 2035.