The idea of jumping from Bharat Stage (BS) IV, the equivalent of Euro IV, to BS VI, the equivalent of Euro VI, has long been a discussion within industry circles in India. Yesterday, the government announced that it is skipping Euro V altogether and instead, will implement Euro VI in 2020.

According to India’s Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, the decision was reached unanimously, as it was deemed necessary to reduce air pollution in the country, which has some of the world’s most polluted cities, including Delhi, the capital city.

India currently mandates Euro III or Bharat Stage (BS) III across the country and Euro IV or BS IV in major cities, such as New Delhi and Mumbai. Euro IV will be implemented nationwide from April 2017 and Euro VI in April 2020.

The Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been considering this idea, which has been endorsed by the Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Last September, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), an influential, independent non-profit organization that provides first-rate, unbiased research and technical and scientific analysis to environmental regulators, published a position paper arguing that it is in India’s best interest to go directly to Euro VI for the following reasons:

1. Superior technical design relative to the 5/V emission standards.
2. Measurement of in-use emissions reveal that Euro VI standards achieve a much greater reduction in NOx emissions from Euro IV/V levels than the emissions limits alone would indicate.
3. By 2020, the emission control technology needed to meet Euro 6/VI standards will be in its fourth generation, with minimal impact on fuel efficiency.
4. A scrappage program for heavy commercial vehicles can create economic incentives necessary to alleviate automobile industry concerns about impact on vehicle sales.
5. Economic benefits of advancing Bharat VI standards far outweigh costs, and fully justify investments made in supplying ultra-low sulphur fuel.