The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on October 13, 2026, issued the Draft Central Motor Vehicles ....... Amendment) Rules, 2026, to further amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
The following has been amended, namely:
• The amendment introduces Rule 115(23)(iA) to prescribe Bharat Stage VII (BS-VII) emission standards for category M1 vehicles, effective October 1, 2026, with phased implementation of technical requirements. The new emission limits apply to all models manufactured on or after April 1, 2029, and cover carbon monoxide (CO), total and non-methane hydrocarbons (THC and NMHC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and particle numbers (PN).
• The framework establishes phased requirements for type approval, conformity of production and in-service conformity, including real-driving emissions (RDE), worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedures (WLTP), evaporative emissions, brake particle emissions, tyre abrasion and battery durability. Brake particle emission limits and tyre abrasion requirements take effect on April 1, 2031, while further particle emission requirements are phased in from April 1, 2035.
• Manufacturers shall ensure compliance with prescribed fuel specifications, durability requirements, anti-tampering and cybersecurity safeguards, and safety standards for applicable alternative-fuel vehicles.
• The rules also require on-board diagnostics (OBD), on-board monitoring (OBM), on-board fuel and energy consumption monitoring (OBFCM), and an Environmental Vehicle Passport (EVP), with specified data availability requirements phased in from 2030 and 2032. Real-driving emission testing during type approval is prescribed from April 1, 2030, and vehicles shall meet the specified in-service lifetime requirements of up to 160,000 km or eight years, whichever occurs first, with additional lifetime requirements extending up to 200,000 km or ten years.
• Objections and suggestions to these draft rules are invited by November 13, 2026 (Friday).
[Notification No. - G.S.R. 880(E)]
