Indian Auto LPG Coalition urges push for clean fuel policy

Time of India

5 days ago

As World Environment Day nears, the Indian
Auto LPG
Coalition (IAC) has reiterated its appeal to the government to expedite clean fuel policies. The coalition has highlighted Auto LPG's role as a viable alternative to reduce
vehicular emissions
, which remain a major source of
air pollution
in Indian cities.
With over 33 crore vehicles running on petrol and diesel, the IAC stressed that vehicular emissions continue to be a significant contributor to air pollution. Auto LPG, which powers around 2.4 million vehicles in India and over 27 million globally, is being positioned as a low-emission alternative requiring minimal infrastructure changes.
'India stands at a fundamental crossroads in its battle against air pollution and climate change,' said Suyash Gupta, Director General of the Indian Auto LPG Coalition.
'With over 33 crore petrol and diesel vehicles on our roads, an outright ban or phase-out is simply not feasible in the short term. By incentivising and streamlining retrofitment to Auto LPG, we can convert millions of vehicles into clean,
low-emission alternatives
almost overnight.'
He added that Auto LPG can offer operational cost savings and reductions in carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions compared to conventional fuels.
Policy support and retrofitment appeal
The IAC has urged policymakers to prioritise clean fuel solutions and support large-scale
retrofitment initiatives
. It has also called for the inclusion of Auto LPG in India's clean fuel narrative and urged OEMs to offer more Auto LPG variants. Additionally, the coalition has asked the government to lower the
GST on conversion kits
from 28% to 5% to make retrofitting more accessible.
Citing international examples, the coalition noted that countries such as Ukraine, Poland, Korea, and Russia have successfully integrated Auto LPG into their transport systems with supportive policy measures.
The coalition's statement comes amid reports that the government may consider phasing out pure petrol and diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR. Given the scale of the current vehicle fleet, the IAC argues that retrofitting existing vehicles with Auto LPG offers a practical and timely solution.
'This World Environment Day, it's crucial for policymakers to champion clean fuel solutions and support large-scale retrofitment initiatives that can make our cities cleaner, safer, and more sustainable,' Gupta added.