India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has said that German automaker Volkswagen (VW) has violated none of India's emission norms. According to a report by local publication the Times of India, transport minister Nitin Gadkari said in a statement that, "The [diesel emission test of VW vehicles] reports don't mention violation of test norms [in India]. The company has neither admitted nor acknowledged flouting any norms. So, there is no evidence. But to get better clarity, we will ask ARAI [Automotive Research Association of India] to respond whether they have detected any violation as per the set norms." The minister, who took a review meeting on the issue with top ministry officials and representatives from the German automaker, also said that his ministry will take no decision or step in "haste". "As of now, nothing is on record that suggests the manufacturer has violated our emission norms. We will follow a transparent system for assessment before taking any action," said Gadkari.
Significance: In September, the German automaker admitted to having used software in its EA189 family of diesel engines to cheat emission tests in the United States. The automaker came under spotlight in many global markets and governments across the globe launched separate investigations into the issue. The Indian government launched a probe against the automaker and asked ARAI to investigate if VW had violated emission tests in the country. During November, the automaker was issued a notice after the test results reportedly found that the automaker's vehicles emitted more nitrogen oxide (NOx) than expected. Subsequently, VW India issued a recall notice for nearly 323,700 vehicles equipped with EA189 diesel engines in India, while claiming the recall was voluntary and that the engine violated none of the country's emission norms. The government-established ARAI is a testing agency, formed in association with the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
