The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) has welcomed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ (MoRTH) draft proposal to extend the prescribed vehicle age limit by five years for certain commercial vehicles covered under the national permit system.
The proposed extension applies to battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven commercial vehicles. IAC has called for Auto LPG-powered vehicles to also be included in the proposed framework.
IAC Seeks Technology-Neutral Clean Mobility Policy
According to the Indian Auto LPG Coalition, extending the same consideration to compliant Auto LPG vehicles would make the proposed clean-mobility framework more inclusive and technology-neutral.
The Coalition said vehicles powered by Auto LPG that meet prescribed safety, fitness and emission requirements should be evaluated on factors such as emissions, affordability, infrastructure readiness, safety and energy security rather than being excluded based on their fuel type.
IAC also said that including Auto LPG vehicles would allow owners and fleet operators to derive greater value from compliant vehicles and their existing investments.
Auto LPG Has an Existing Global and Indian Ecosystem
IAC highlighted the existing transport footprint of Auto LPG globally, stating that the fuel powers more than 30 million vehicles across nearly 80,000 refuelling stations worldwide.
In India, Auto LPG is supported by an established vehicle-conversion ecosystem and close to 2,500 Auto LPG dispensing outlets. According to IAC, this existing infrastructure makes Auto LPG an available option for suitable vehicles, particularly in segments where replacing an existing vehicle with a new clean-technology vehicle may not yet be practical.
Auto LPG Could Support India’s Existing Vehicle Fleet
The Coalition said the inclusion of Auto LPG is particularly relevant for India’s existing vehicle fleet, which will continue to account for a significant share of road transport even as newer technologies expand.
While EVs and hydrogen are expected to play a growing role in the transport sector, replacing the entire vehicle fleet will take years. IAC said converting suitable petrol vehicles to Auto LPG can provide an alternative way to reduce emissions from vehicles already on the road.
At the same time, compliant Auto LPG vehicles could continue operating as long as they meet prescribed safety, fitness and emission norms.
IAC Supports a Multi-Fuel Approach
IAC believes a multi-fuel approach can address the different requirements of India’s diverse vehicle market.
According to the Coalition, EVs and hydrogen can contribute to the longer-term transformation of the transport sector, while Auto LPG can serve segments where vehicle conversion may be more feasible than immediate replacement.
Recognising these different pathways could allow clean mobility policies to consider both emerging technologies and the requirements of India’s existing vehicle fleet.
IAC Calls for Auto LPG Vehicles to Be Included
The Indian Auto LPG Coalition has called for Auto LPG-powered commercial vehicles to be included in the proposed national permit age-extension framework before the amendments are finalised.
IAC emphasised that any extension should remain linked to mandatory fitness, safety, emission and regulatory requirements. This would ensure that the benefit is available only to vehicles that continue to meet the prescribed standards.
Leadership Comment
Commenting on the draft proposal, Mr. Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition, said, “The proposed five-year extension for EVs, hydrogen and natural gas vehicles is a welcome step, but cleaner mobility policy cannot be technology-selective. Auto LPG must also be included. It is a proven, readily available and cost-effective transport fuel that can reduce vehicular emissions today, including through the conversion of suitable existing petrol vehicles. If the objective is to encourage cleaner transportation, every viable technology should have an opportunity to qualify based on its emissions performance, safety, affordability, infrastructure readiness and contribution to energy security.”
The IAC’s call for Auto LPG inclusion in the proposed 5-year national permit age extension seeks to bring another established cleaner-fuel technology within the proposed framework. The Coalition has emphasised a technology-neutral approach in which compliant vehicles are assessed based on safety, fitness, emissions and other prescribed requirements rather than fuel type alone.
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