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Bharat NCAP: How India's crash-test programme works

Bharat NCAP began voluntary crash-testing of passenger vehicles in October 2023, rating cars from one to five stars for adult and child occupant protection.

Top10EV EditorialPublished 2026-02-01Last verified 2026-07-151 min read

Bharat NCAP, operated under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, evaluates M1-category passenger vehicles manufactured in India. The programme awards separate star ratings — up to five stars each — for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and Child Occupant Protection (COP).

Testing protocols include frontal offset impact at 64 km/h, side impact, and side pole impact for vehicles meeting fitment criteria. Ratings are published on the official Bharat NCAP portal along with detailed assessment reports.

Cars sold in India may also carry Global NCAP or Euro NCAP scores from separate assessments; those ratings use different protocols and are not directly comparable to Bharat NCAP results.

#safety#bharat-ncap

Sources

  1. Bharat NCAP Official PortalMinistry of Road Transport and Highways (accessed 2026-07-15)

Top10EV publishes independent editorial content. This article contains no paid placements. Vehicle information is sourced from manufacturer websites and public regulatory documents cited below.

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