India to Launch Enhanced Bharat NCAP 2.0 Safety Program in October 2027

NEW DELHI — India will introduce Bharat NCAP 2.0 from October 2027, an enhanced vehicle safety rating system designed to comprehensively evaluate automobile safety standards and tackle the nation's critical road accident challenge, Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced Thursday.

Addressing the 66th Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Annual Convention 2025, Gadkari emphasized that the upgraded programme represents a significant escalation in vehicle safety protocols. "From October 2027, the entire safety chain will be evaluated," the minister stated, underscoring the administration's commitment to reducing fatalities on Indian roads.

Bharat NCAP, India's independent vehicle safety rating system established in 2013, has gained recognition for crash-testing passenger vehicles and assigning safety ratings on a five-star scale. The programme evaluates occupant protection during collisions, assessing safeguards for both adult and child passengers. The upcoming 2.0 iteration aims to broaden this scope by examining the complete vehicle safety ecosystem.

India faces acute challenges from road accidents, which claim significant lives annually. The new framework is intended to incentivize manufacturers to enhance safety standards while providing consumers with transparent, science-based vehicle safety information. Gadkari's announcement reflects the government's strategic focus on reducing accident-related mortality through systematic safety improvements across the automotive sector.