India stands at a pivotal moment in its mobility transition. With a rapidly expanding vehicle fleet, tightening emission standards, ambitious electric vehicle (EV) targets, and evolving compliance frameworks, the coming decade will test how effectively regulatory ambition translates into measurable improvements in air quality and public health.
To advance evidence-led dialogue on these challenges, the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC India) convened nearly 50 participants, including senior policymakers, scientists, researchers, technologists, and industry leaders, at “Driving Change: Shaping India’s Next Decade of Vehicular Emissions Reforms,” held on December 9, 2025, at the India International Centre, New Delhi.
The convening examined pathways for strengthening India’s vehicular emissions governance—ranging from real-world emissions measurement and the transition toward BS-VII and expanded Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms, to reforms in Pollution Under Control (PUC) systems and the governance challenges of urban congestion. Across sessions, speakers emphasized that India’s next leap forward will require technology-enabled systems, credible data, and sustained coordination across institutions.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Kaushik Deb, Executive Director of EPIC India, framed emissions reform as an institutional challenge: “Strengthening emissions governance is fundamentally about strengthening institutions—credible systems, verifiable data, and a culture of compliance that works for citizens as much as it works for regulators.”
Echoing this perspective, Dr. Virinder Sharma, Member (Technical) at the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), highlighted the need to bridge governance and technology, emphasizing that evidence-based implementation must guide the next phase of reform.
Following the opening remarks, Dr. Kaushik Deb from EPIC India presented findings from a randomized trial assessing Delhi’s PUC system. The evidence revealed behavioral and structural weaknesses at testing centres that undermine data integrity and public trust, underscoring the urgency of reforming compliance mechanisms themselves rather than relying on parallel interventions.
To further strengthen India’s emissions governance ecosystem, EPIC India announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the Airawat Research Foundation (ARF), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. The partnership was represented by Mr. Amar Nath, Chief Executive Officer of ARF, IIT Kanpur, and Dr. Leni Chaudhuri, Executive Director of the University of Chicago Trust in India, and aims to advance research on emissions-monitoring technologies and support evidence-led mobility policymaking.
The first panel explored technological pathways for real-world emissions monitoring, including On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) systems, Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS), remote sensing technologies, and artificial intelligence-enabled analytics. Mr. Amar Nath from ARF, IIT Kanpur emphasized the need for differentiated, area-specific approaches in a democratic governance context. Dr. Rahul Goel from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi argued that weaknesses in the PUC system reflect deeper governance failures. At the same time, Dr. Virinder Sharma from CAQM reiterated the importance of integrating emissions data with health outcomes.
The second panel focused on India’s regulatory transition toward BS-VII and expanded CAFE norms. Mr. Sharif Qamar from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) framed CAFE norms as a long-term investment in public health, while Mr. Aviral Yadav from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) stressed the importance of robust enforcement architecture. Dr. Srishti Jain, Scientist at the Commission for Air Quality Management, highlighted that these standards form part of a broader national roadmap requiring sustained inter-institutional collaboration.
The third panel examined what it will take to build an implementation-ready EV ecosystem in India. Mr. Dhruba Purkayastha, Senior Program Advisor, EPIC India emphasized viewing EV investments over a 25-year horizon, while Mr. Dimpy Suneja from the Rocky Mountain Institute India highlighted the need for ecosystem sustainability beyond subsidies. Mr. Shikhar Jain from the Confederation of Indian Industry–ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development called for a shift toward consumer-centric policy design.
The final session addressed congestion and enforcement challenges, highlighting tools such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition networks, FASTag integration, and Intelligent Traffic Management Systems. Speakers emphasized deterrence-based enforcement, unified data systems, and demand-management tools such as congestion pricing and low-emission zones.
Concluding the event, Mr. Vinay Kumar, Program Manager (Transport and Urban Policy Research Unit) at EPIC India, emphasized that India’s mobility transition will hinge on evidence-led reform, citizen engagement, and sustained inter-agency coordination. The discussions reinforced a clear message: achieving cleaner mobility will require a systems approach that integrates technology, institutions, and people to deliver lasting environmental and public health gains.