Road ministry mandates ABS for all two-wheelers from January 1, 2026

The ministry of road transport and highways notified draft rules which mandate all two-wheelers manufactured on and after January 1, 2026 to be fitted with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

Besides, it has directed all two-wheeler manufacturers to supply two protective headgears, conforming to specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards, at the time of purchase of a two wheeler.

The move is aimed at reducing accidents involving motorcycles and scooters. Government data shows nearly 20% of India’s 151,997 road accidents in 2022 were related to two-wheelers.


Besides, two-wheeler fatalities rose by 8% in 2022, claiming nearly 75,000 lives, which is 44% of the 1,68,491 road accident deaths that year.

This, however, could lead to an increase in the cost of two-wheelers upwards of Rs 2500 as per initial estimates.

Currently, ABS is mandatory for two-wheeler models above 150cc.

ABS is designed to prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking, reducing the likelihood of skidding and crashes. They achieve this by rapidly pulsing the brakes, preventing the wheels from skidding and allowing the driver to steer around obstacles.