India Just 2-3 Years Behind Global Vehicle Standards: MoRTH

India has narrowed its vehicle standards gap with advanced automotive markets to two to three years in some areas, while matching or surpassing global standards in several others, according to Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Speaking at the 8th FADA Auto Retail Conclave 2026 in New Delhi, Ahmed said the position had changed significantly compared with 10-15 years ago, when India was roughly a decade behind markets such as Western Europe and Japan.

“Today, I can very confidently say that in some areas we are probably two years behind, in some maybe three years behind, and in many other vehicle standards we are at par or even better than the rest of the world,” Ahmed said.

Narrowing the Global Gap

He attributed the narrowing gap to sustained engagement between India and automotive ecosystems globally, including regulators, vehicle manufacturers, testing agencies, standards-setting organisations and academia.

Ahmed said alignment with global standards also strengthens the ability of Indian manufacturers to compete internationally and opens up export opportunities. Indian companies, he said, need to “make in India” while building products capable of competing globally.

Bharat NCAP Momentum

Safety is one area where the government is seeking greater consumer awareness. Ahmed said 11 automakers have voluntarily offered vehicles for assessment under Bharat NCAP, with 38 models receiving safety ratings ranging from one to five stars.

He said dealers have an important role in taking this information to buyers as they are at the forefront of the industry’s interaction with customers.

Ahmed urged dealerships to encourage customers to evaluate safety alongside features such as sunroofs and audio systems while making purchase decisions. “Let he or she also look at the safety features that the vehicle has,” he said, adding that dealers could help educate customers at scale.

Safety Mandates for Commercial Vehicls

The safety push extends beyond passenger vehicles. Ahmed cited driver drowsiness warning systems, lane departure warning, emergency braking and electronic stability control among technologies being introduced for commercial vehicles.

He also highlighted tighter requirements for bus bodies following incidents involving buses and sleeper coaches catching fire. The government has moved bus body builders towards a type-approval regime, replacing the earlier self-certification approach.

Ahmed said closer collaboration between government, manufacturers, testing agencies and dealers would remain central to India’s mobility transformation.