Bharat NCAP = 5-Star Safety or 5-Star Marketing?

In October 2023, India took a significant step in the direction of automotive safety by launching its very own crash testing program — Bharat NCAP (B-NCAP).

No more waiting for Global NCAP to fly down, pick a car, crash it, and tell us it’s about as safe as a biscuit in a blender. We now have our very own Made-in-India crash test setup.

Quite ironic, considering India is one of the top five car markets globally.

But hold on... Bharat NCAP is handing out 5-star ratings like Oprah giving away free cars!

“You get a 5-star! You get a 5-star! EVERYBODY gets a 5-star!

Wait… Why Did We Even Need Bharat NCAP?

Because for the longest time, India – the 4th largest car market in the world – had zero local crash testing. Nada. Zilch.

We were depending on foreign aunties and uncles (read: Global NCAP) to tell us if our cars would survive a crash.

But in 2023, Bharat NCAP made a grand entry. And since then, 15 cars have been tested under it. That’s almost double what Global NCAP managed during the same period!

Sounds great, right?

So Many Stars, It's Basically a Galaxy

14 out of 15 cars tested by Bharat NCAP got 5 stars.

The 15th got 4 stars Citroën Basalt (Don't feel bad, Citroën, you're still a star in our eyes).

Meanwhile, Global NCAP was like, “Not so fast.”

They gave out 0, 1, 3, and 5-star ratings — a true mix tape.

So naturally, people are whispering:

“Are Bharat NCAP tests easier?”

“Is this like grading your own homework?”

This has raised eyebrows among Indian consumers.

By contrast, Global NCAP, during the same time, gave out a mix of ratings, from 0 to 5 stars, highlighting that not all cars are created equal. The uniform high scores from Bharat NCAP make people wonder: Are the tests rigged or manipulated?

Is Bharat NCAP Testing Easier Than Global NCAP?

Surprisingly, no.

Bharat NCAP isn't doing crash tests with cotton balls.

Their testing protocols are basically a Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V of Global NCAP’s methods:

• Frontal offset crash tests at 64 km/h

• Side impact tests

• Rear impact tests

• Pedestrian protection assessments

• Dynamic crash tests with child dummies

They even use similar test dummies and fact sheets so identical, we suspect one copied the other’s math homework (just changed the name on top).

So if the tests are legit... why the star shower?

Then Why Are Bharat NCAP Ratings So Generous?

The answer lies not in the tests themselves, but in how cars are selected for testing.

Here’s the catch: Bharat NCAP is a 100% voluntary program. That means car manufacturers can choose whether or not to send a car for testing. And naturally, they’re only sending models they’re confident will perform well.

Example:

• Mahindra sent the Thar Roxx for testing (5 stars!). But not the regular Thar (which got 4 stars in Global NCAP).

• Kia submitted the Sonet (5 stars!), but conveniently skipped the Seltos facelift (which got 3 stars elsewhere).

• Hyundai sent the Tucson — a premium SUV with 5-star Euro ratings — but the Creta? Nowhere to be seen.

It’s like only entering your toppers into a spelling bee and pretending your whole school is a genius.

Global NCAP vs Bharat NCAP: Crash Tests Ain’t Cheap

Cost is another big reason automakers prefer Bharat NCAP over Global NCAP. Testing a car via Global NCAP — which usually happens in Europe — can cost upwards of ₹2.5 crores, considering the expense of dummies, manpower, and shipping.

Bharat NCAP testing costs a fraction — roughly ₹60 lakhs. For automakers, that’s a no-brainer.

But... What About Us? The Buyers?

Here’s the real danger: The misleading perception.

People see a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating on the Tucson and assume every Hyundai is equally safe.

But uh… no. Not unless every Hyundai secretly transforms into the Tucson at night like a Transformer.

Same with Sonet vs Seltos, or Thar Roxx vs regular Thar.

This 5-star stamp, without context, is starting to feel like a marketing sticker more than a real safety badge.

The Solution: Make Bharat NCAP More Independent

There’s a simple fix: Bharat NCAP should start buying random cars off the market for crash testing, just like Global NCAP does.

As a government-backed initiative, B-NCAP isn’t short on funds. Indian consumers already pay high road taxes and GST when buying cars. It’s only fair that a small portion of that revenue is used to ensure the authentic safety assessment of every car on the market.

Final Bumper-to-Bumper Thoughts

We love that Bharat NCAP is here.

We’re clapping. We’re cheering. But we’re also side-eyeing.

Because safety isn’t a PR campaign — it’s real. And we deserve better than curated crash tests.

So next time you see a 5-star Bharat NCAP sticker, ask:

“Which car was tested? Which variant? And what are they not telling me?”

Because in the end, it’s not about the stars.

It’s about surviving the crash.