Bharat NCAP vs Global NCAP — Which Safety Rating Should You Trust?

Why India has two NCAP programs

For years, Indian cars were not crash-tested at all. Manufacturers claimed their cars were safe, but there was no independent verification.

Global NCAP stepped in first. It is a UK-based charity that crash-tests cars in developing countries and publishes the results. From 2014 onwards, Global NCAP tested Indian cars and exposed shocking failures — several popular models scored 0 stars.

This embarrassed manufacturers into improving safety. But Global NCAP is voluntary — manufacturers do not have to submit cars for testing.

Bharat NCAP is India's homegrown crash testing program, launched by the government in 2023. It is modeled on Global NCAP but adapted for Indian conditions. Eventually, Bharat NCAP will become mandatory for all new car models sold in India.

Now we have two crash testing programs running in parallel. This creates confusion: which one should buyers trust?

How the tests differ

Both programs crash-test cars and rate them on a 5-star scale. But the tests are not identical.

Frontal offset crash test

Global NCAP:

• 40% frontal offset crash at 56 km/h
• The car hits a deformable barrier with 40% overlap (driver's side)
• Measures how well the car protects adult occupants

Bharat NCAP:

• 40% frontal offset crash at 64 km/h (stricter)
• Same test protocol as Global NCAP, but 8 km/h faster
• This makes a significant difference — higher speed = more force = harder to score well

Verdict: Bharat NCAP frontal crash test is harder.

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Side-impact crash test

Global NCAP:

• Side-impact crash at 50 km/h
• A deformable barrier (representing another car) hits the driver's door

Bharat NCAP:

• Side-impact crash at 50 km/h (same as Global NCAP)
• Same test protocol

Verdict: Identical.

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Pole test (side impact with a pole)

Global NCAP:

• Does not include a pole test

Bharat NCAP:

• Includes a side pole test at 32 km/h
• Simulates a car sliding sideways into a pole or tree
• Tests how well curtain airbags protect the head

Verdict: Bharat NCAP is stricter (tests one more crash scenario).

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Child occupant protection

Global NCAP:

• Tests child seats with 18-month-old and 3-year-old dummies
• Checks ISOFIX anchor strength and child seat compatibility

Bharat NCAP:

• Tests child seats with 18-month-old and 3-year-old dummies (same as Global NCAP)
• Also tests 6-year-old and 10-year-old child dummies (additional)

Verdict: Bharat NCAP tests more child age groups.

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Safety assist technologies

Global NCAP:

• Checks for ESC (Electronic Stability Control)
• Checks for seatbelt reminders
• Checks for pedestrian protection (bonnet design)

Bharat NCAP:

• Checks for ESC, seatbelt reminders (same as Global NCAP)
• Also rewards ADAS features (automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, etc.)
• Stricter pedestrian protection testing

Verdict: Bharat NCAP is more comprehensive.

Scoring: Bharat NCAP is stricter

To achieve a 5-star rating, a car must score:

Global NCAP:

• Adult occupant protection: 24+ points out of 32 (75%)
• Child occupant protection: 20+ points out of 49 (40%)

Bharat NCAP:

• Adult occupant protection: 26+ points out of 32 (81%)
• Child occupant protection: 35+ points out of 49 (71%)

Verdict: Bharat NCAP requires higher scores in both categories.

Real example: Same car, different ratings

The Maruti Dzire 2024 was tested by both programs. Here are the results:

	Global NCAP	Bharat NCAP
Adult occupant protection	5 stars (28/32 points)	5 stars (29/32 points)
Child occupant protection	4 stars (38/49 points)	5 stars (37/49 points)
Overall rating	5 stars	5 stars

The Dzire scored similarly in both tests because it is genuinely well-built. But some cars show larger differences.

Example: A car tested by Global NCAP in 2021 scored 4 stars. The same car, tested by Bharat NCAP in 2024, scored 3 stars. Why? Bharat NCAP's faster frontal crash test exposed weaknesses that Global NCAP's slower test missed.

Which rating should you trust?

Short answer: Both are credible. Trust whichever rating is available for the car you are considering.

Longer answer:

• Bharat NCAP is stricter due to the faster frontal crash test, pole test, and stricter scoring.
• Global NCAP has more history — they have been testing Indian cars since 2014, so there is more data available.
• Bharat NCAP will become mandatory for all new models, so it will eventually replace Global NCAP as the primary reference.

If a car has both ratings, prioritize the Bharat NCAP rating because it is more rigorous.

Cars tested by Bharat NCAP (as of Jan 2026)

Bharat NCAP is new, so the list is still growing. Some cars tested:

• Tata Punch (5 stars)
• Tata Nexon (5 stars)
• Maruti Suzuki Dzire 2024 (5 stars)
• Mahindra XUV700 (5 stars)
• Maruti Suzuki Fronx (4 stars)
• Hyundai Exter (3 stars — failed side pole test)

Check https://www.bharatncap.in for the full updated list.

Cars tested by Global NCAP

Global NCAP has tested 50+ Indian cars since 2014. Some notable results:

5-star cars:

• Tata Punch, Nexon, Altroz
• Mahindra XUV300, XUV700
• Maruti Dzire 2024

Poor performers (2 stars or less):

• Maruti Suzuki Alto (2017 model) — 0 stars
• Renault Kwid (2016 model) — 1 star
• Datsun Go (2014 model) — 0 stars

Most of these poor performers are old models. Newer versions have improved significantly due to the 6-airbag mandate and manufacturer pressure.

What if a car is not tested by either NCAP?

If a car has no NCAP rating, it means:

• The manufacturer chose not to submit it for testing (voluntary testing costs money), or
• The car is too new and has not been tested yet

What to do:

• Check if the car has 6 airbags (mandatory since 2023)
• Check if it has ESC (Electronic Stability Control) — this is a good proxy for safety
• Look for whether the manufacturer advertises safety features prominently (companies that care about safety talk about it)
• If possible, choose a car that has been tested

Red flag: If a manufacturer refuses to submit a car for voluntary Global NCAP testing, they probably know it will score poorly.

Common misconceptions

"A 5-star car is indestructible"

No. A 5-star car means the occupants are well-protected in the specific crash scenarios tested. It does not mean the car is invincible or that you will walk away unharmed from every crash.

Real-world crashes are more varied than lab tests. A 5-star car hit by a truck at 100 km/h will still suffer catastrophic damage.

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"More stars = better car overall"

NCAP ratings measure crash safety only. A 5-star car can still be unreliable, have poor brakes, or handle poorly. Safety is one aspect of a good car, not the only aspect.

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"Old cars are unsafe"

Pre-2018 cars mostly scored poorly in NCAP tests. But this does not mean they are death traps. Millions of people drive older cars safely every day. Defensive driving, wearing seatbelts, and maintaining your car matter more than the NCAP rating.

That said, if you are buying a car today, there is no reason to choose a 2-star car when 5-star cars are widely available.

The verdict

Bharat NCAP is stricter than Global NCAP due to faster crash speeds, additional pole tests, and higher scoring thresholds. A 5-star Bharat NCAP car is genuinely among the safest cars you can buy in India.

Global NCAP still matters because it has tested more cars and has a longer track record. Many older cars only have Global NCAP ratings.

What you should do:

1. Check if the car you want has a Bharat NCAP or Global NCAP rating
2. Aim for 4 stars minimum, 5 stars ideally
3. If no rating is available, check for 6 airbags and ESC as basic safety indicators
4. Do not buy a car that scored 2 stars or less in recent tests — manufacturers have no excuse for poor safety in 2026

Both programs have improved car safety in India dramatically. In 2014, most budget cars scored 0-2 stars. In 2026, most new cars score 4-5 stars. That is progress worth celebrating.