The Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) has welcomed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ (MoRTH) draft proposal to extend the prescribed age limit by five years for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-powered commercial vehicles operating under the national permit system. However, the Coalition has urged the government to also include Auto LPG-powered vehicles within the proposed framework.
According to the IAC, extending the proposed age relaxation to compliant Auto LPG vehicles would support a more inclusive and technology-neutral approach to clean mobility. The Coalition said vehicles powered by established cleaner fuels should be evaluated on measurable parameters rather than being excluded solely based on the fuel technology they use.
The IAC said compliant Auto LPG vehicles that meet applicable safety, fitness and emission standards should be assessed on factors including emissions performance, affordability, infrastructure availability, safety and energy security.
The Coalition also noted that extending the framework to Auto LPG vehicles could help vehicle owners and fleet operators maximise the value of their existing assets and investments, while supporting a broader transition towards cleaner commercial mobility.
The proposed five-year extension, if implemented, could therefore provide an opportunity to establish a consistent policy framework covering multiple cleaner-fuel technologies and enable operators to choose solutions based on operational requirements, compliance and environmental performance.
Auto LPG already has a substantial global transport footprint, powering more than 30 million vehicles across nearly 80,000 refuelling stations worldwide. In India, the fuel is supported by an established vehicle-conversion ecosystem and a network of close to 2,500 Auto LPG dispensing outlets. This existing ecosystem makes Auto LPG a readily available option for suitable vehicles, particularly in segments where replacing an existing vehicle with a new clean-technology vehicle may not yet be practical.
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 case for including Auto LPG is particularly relevant to India’s existing vehicle fleet, which will continue to account for a significant share of road transport even as newer technologies gain ground. While EVs and hydrogen are expected to expand over time, complete fleet replacement will take years. Converting suitable petrol vehicles to Auto LPG can provide an alternative route to reducing emissions from vehicles already on the road, while allowing compliant vehicles to continue operating under prescribed safety, fitness and emission norms.
A multi-fuel approach can help address the different requirements of India’s diverse vehicle market. EVs and hydrogen can support the longer-term transformation of the transport sector, while Auto LPG can serve segments where conversion is more feasible than immediate replacement. Recognising these complementary pathways would allow cleaner mobility policies to account for both emerging technologies and the realities of the existing fleet.
IAC called for Auto LPG-powered commercial vehicles to be included in the proposed national permit age-extension framework before the amendments are finalised. Any such extension, the Coalition emphasised, should remain linked to mandatory fitness, safety, emission and regulatory requirements, ensuring that the benefit applies only to vehicles that continue to meet prescribed standards.
