Govt Drafts TREM V for Tractors from October 2026; 25–75 HP Segment Gets Breather

In a bid to tighten emission norms for non-road vehicles, the government has proposed to introduce Tractor Emission Stage V (TREM V) norms for certain categories of agricultural tractors from October 1, 2026, while the norms for the 25–75 HP tractor category will move to TREM V only from 2032.

The existing emission standards for agricultural tractors, power tillers and combined harvesters will be replaced with Stage V norms in a phased manner, as per a draft notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. At present, tractors below 50 HP adhere to TREM IIIA norms, while those above 50 HP follow TREM IV norms.

TREM V norms are proposed to be implemented in a staggered manner across horsepower segments. Most high-power segments, those above 75 HP (more than 56 kW), and very low-power segments, those below 25 HP (less than 19 kW), are proposed to move to TREM Stage V from October 1, 2026.

However, the 25-75 HP range will see a phased transition. The 25-50 HP category (19–37 kW) will move to TREM IIIAA from April 1, 2028, and transition to full TREM V only from April 1, 2032. The 50-75 HP band (37–56 kW), currently under TREM IV, will upgrade to TREM V directly from 2032.

The proposed norms seek to reduce particulate matter (PM) significantly and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions across horsepower bands, aligning Indian emission standards closer to European Union Stage V limits and global best practices.

The 25-50 HP tractor category will move to TREM IIIAA with limits of 5.0 g/kWh for CO, 4.7 g/kWh for HC+NOx and 0.35 g/kWh for PM. They will then transition to TREM V in 2032, when PM tightens sharply to 0.015 g/kWh and a particle number (PN) cap of 1 × 10¹²/kWh is introduced.

This defers full Stage V implementation for the 25-75 HP category until 2032, while larger tractors adopt the stricter regime earlier in 2026.

India sold over 1 million tractors in 2025. The 25-75 HP tractors are estimated to account for more than 70% of tractor sales in India. The industry has been recommending that the government defer the implementation of the tighter TREM V emission norms for tractors below 50 HP until 2028.

The TREM V upgrade will require the integration of after-treatment systems and engine redesigns, adding significant production costs. For smaller tractors used widely in India’s fragmented farm landscape, this could create pricing and maintenance challenges.

The Tractor and Mechanization Association had proposed that for the 25-50 HP category, the deadline for bringing these smaller tractors under TREM V should be pushed back to 2028 to allow manufacturers time to develop compliant engines and after-treatment systems without sharply increasing prices in a highly price-sensitive segment.

Industry executives have said that full Stage V compliance will require advanced after-treatment hardware - including diesel particulate filters, selective catalytic reduction systems and electronic engine management - and may increase tractor prices by up to 15-20%, particularly in the sub-50 HP segment.

From a policy standpoint, industry experts say the move aligns India’s non-road machinery standards closer to the EU Stage V benchmark, while balancing industry readiness and rural affordability. Tractors below 25 HP and above 75 HP are expected to match the EU and surpass the US standards with TREM V. However, the 25 to 50 HP segment will continue to emit significantly more particulate matter than those sold in the US and EU until 2032. ENDS