BS-VII emission norms draft expected in 2 months: MoRTH Secretary V Umashankar

The government is in the final stages of consultations on the next generation of vehicle emission standards, with a draft of BS-VII norms expected in the next couple of months, Road Transport and Highways Secretary V Umashankar said on September 3.

Speaking at the 66th SIAM Annual Convention in New Delhi, Umashankar said consultations on BS-VII were nearing completion, but acknowledged that meeting the implementation timelines would be a key challenge for the automobile industry.

“Consultations are going on. The draft should come in a couple of months,” Umashankar said, adding that timelines would be among the key issues as India moves towards the next emission regime.

He also flagged the growing complexity for automakers arising from the transition towards multiple powertrains and cleaner technologies. The industry is having to navigate a mix of electric vehicles, alternative fuels and increasingly stringent emission requirements, he said.

Logistics efficiency

Umashankar also said the government is examining why truck speeds on India’s expressways are not rising beyond around 40 kmph, despite investments in better road infrastructure.

He said higher power-to-weight ratios could be important for improving logistics efficiency and indicated that the government is looking at how logistics incentives can be redesigned.

Recycling and EPR

On vehicle recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Umashankar said the industry’s concerns around detailed producer-responsibility obligations need to be addressed.

The viability of the wider scrappage and recycling ecosystem will be critical for successful implementation of EPR, he said. Unless an economically viable ecosystem for vehicle scrapping and recycling develops, implementation of the regulations could face challenges.

The comments come as India continues to strengthen its end-of-life vehicle and circular-economy framework. SIAM has previously worked with the government on refining EPR requirements for end-of-life vehicles, including changes to make compliance more feasible for the industry.

Umashankar also highlighted India’s growing credibility on automotive standards globally, pointing to India’s recent engagement with Chile where Indian standards were accepted as part of the trade discussions.