• 1991 - Idle CO Limits for Gasoline Vehicles and Free Acceleration Smoke for Diesel Vehicles, Mass Emission Norms for Gasoline Vehicles.
  
  
• 1992 - Mass Emission Norms for Diesel Vehicles.
  
  
• 1996 - Revision of Mass Emission Norms for Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles, mandatory fitment of Catalytic Converter for Cars in Metros on Unleaded Gasoline.
  
  
• 1998 - Cold Start Norms Introduced.
  
  
• 2000 - India 2000 (Eq. to Euro I) Norms, Modified IDC (Indian Driving Cycle), Bharat Stage II Norms for Delhi.
  
  
• 2001 - Bharat Stage II (Eq. to Euro II) Norms for All Metros, Emission Norms for CNG & LPG Vehicles.
  
  
• 2003 - Bharat Stage II (Eq. to Euro II) Norms for 11 major cities.
  
  
• 2005 - From 1st April Bharat Stage III (Eq. to Euro III) Norms for 11 major cities.
  
  
• 2010 - Bharat Stage III Emission Norms for 4-wheelers for entire country whereas Bharat Stage - IV (Eq. to Euro IV) for 11 major cities.

"The Union Cabinet in October 2003 has approved an auto fuel policy that lays a roadmap for implementing Euro-II, III and IV vehicular emission standards by 2010."

The Bharat Stage II (equivalent to Euro-II norms), will be applicable to all automobiles throughout the country from Apr 1, 2005. These norms are currently in place in 11 cities- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Kanpur and Agra.

All automobiles and fuel - petrol and diesel - will have to meet Euro-III emission specifications in the above 11 cities from April 1, 2005 and Euro-IV norms by April 1, 2010. The rest of the country will have Euro-III emission norm compliant automobiles and fuels by 2010.

For 2/3 wheelers, Bharat Stage-II norms will be applicable from Apr 1, 2005 and Euro-III norms would come in force preferably from April 1, 2008 but not later than April 1, 2010.


OVERVIEW OF THE FUEL QUALITY IN INDIA

UNLEADED GASOLINE
Introduced in 1995 and 100% in 2000

1% BENZENE CONTENT IN GASOLINE
Introduced in NCT (National Capital Territory) in 2000, Extended to NCR (National Capital Region) & Mumbai in 2001

0.05 % SULPHUR CONTENT IN GASOLINE
Introduced in NCR In 2000, Extended to Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in 2001

0.05 % SULPHUR CONTENT IN DIESEL
Introduced in the NCT in 2000 and Extended to NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata & Chennai in 2001

• Presently, BIS 2000 Specifications for Gasoline and Diesel are followed in India
• In the Metro-Cities, Euro-II Equivalent Fuel is supplied. The only difference being the Sulphur content, which is 500 PPM for both, Gasoline and Diesel in the Metro Cities; and, 1000 PPM for Gasoline and 2500 PPM for Diesel in the rest of the country
• Additionally, Gasoline with Benzene content of 1.0 Vol.-% Max. has been introduced in the NCR of Delhi and Greater Mumbai
• Gasoline with Benzene content of 3.0 Vol.-% Max. has been introduced in Kolkata and Chennai
• CNG, LPG, Ethanol Blends are used in Specified Areas

• Bharat Stage II (EQ. TO EU II NORM) Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers to be applicable from 1.4.2005
• Bharat Stage III (EQ. TO EU III NORM) Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers to be applicable from 1.4.2010
• Bharat Stage II Emission Norms for 2 & 3-Wheelers to be applicable from 1.4.2005
• Bharat Stage III Emission Norms for 2 & 3-Wheelers to be applicable preferably from 1.4.2008 and not later than 1.4.2010

• Bharat Stage-II Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers have already been implemented in the Cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in the year 2000 and 2001
• Bharat Stage-II Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers was implemented for the cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Agra, Kanpur, Pune and Surat in the year 2003.
• Bharat Stage-III Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers would be implemented from 1.4.2005 for all the 11 Cities mentioned above
• Bharat Stage-IV Emission Norms for 4-Wheelers would be implemented from 1.4.2010 for all the 11 Cities mentioned above.

• At Present, Euro-II Equivalent Gasoline and Diesel is supplied in 11 mega cities i.e. Four metros and Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat, Kanpur, Agra and Ahemadabad. Whereas in the entire country Euro-II fuel will be supplied from April 1, 2005.
• Euro-III Equivalent Gasoline and Diesel would be supplied in the above 11 Mega Cities from April 1, 2005 and in the Entire Country by 2010
• Euro-IV Equivalent Gasoline and Diesel is proposed to be supplied in the above 11 Mega Cities from April 1, 2010

• Petrol Driven Vehicles, other than 2 & 3 wheelers 0.5% (CO) for closed loop 3 - way catalytic converter fitted vehicle and 3% for other vehicles.
• Petrol driven vehicles 4 - stroke 2 & 3 wheelers fitted with Catalytic Converter the CO limit shall be 3.5%.
• Hydro Carbon (HC) standards in case of in use 2 - stroke 2 wheelers shall be 6000 ppm and in case of 4 - stroke 2 & 3 wheelers 4500 ppm.
• Bharat Stage - II compliant and cars fitted with a 3 - way catalytic converter emission level of 750 ppm of HC and for others 1500 ppm.
• In case of 2-3 wheelers manufactured prior to 1st Apr 2000 HC limit shall be 9000 ppm.
• Mass Emission standards for vehicles operating on CNG shall be the same as are applicable for gasoline vehicles with the exception that HC shall be replaced by Non- Methane HC where Non-Methane HC = 0.3 x HC.
• Mass Emission standards for vehicles and operating on LPG shall be the same as are applicable for gasoline vehicles where HC shall be replaced by Reactive HC, where RHC = 0.5 x HC.
• On and from 1st April 2005 mass emission standards (Bharat Stage - II) for 2 & 3 Wheelers shall be as follows :

Vehicle Category	Pollutants in g / km	TA = COP Norms	TA = COP (DF)
Two Wheeler	CO	1.50	1.20
	HC + NOx	1.50	1.20
Three Wheeler (P)	CO	2.25	1.20
	HC + NOx	2.00	1.20
Three Wheeler (D)	CO	1.00	1.10
	HC + NOx	0.85	1.00
	PM	0.10	1.20

a) Motor Cars with seating capacity of and upto 6 persons (including driver) and GVW not exceeding 2500 Kg.

d) Diesel Vehicles with GVW exceeding 3500 Kg. shall conform to the following norms.

Note :

* For engines having swept volume of less than 0.75 litre per cylinder and a rated power speed of more than 3000 rpm.
# For diesel engines only.

Note :

* The Idling Emission Standards for vehicles when operating on CNG shall contain NMHC in place of HC and shall be estimated by the following formula :

NMHC = 0.3 x HC where HC = total HC measured as n - hexane equivalent.

Similarly Idling Emission Standards for vehicles when operating on LPG shall contain Reactive Hydro Carbon (RHC) in place of HC and shall be estimated by the following formula :

RHC = 0.5 x HC where HC = total HC measured as n - hexane equivalent.