Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, on the occasion of National Consumer Day 2025, released IS 19262:2025 – ‘Electric Agricultural Tractors — Test Code’ at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The Indian Standard has been developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to ensure the safety, reliability and performance of electric agricultural tractors through uniform and standardised testing procedures.
The newly notified standard establishes a common framework for stakeholders by defining uniform terminology, general guidelines and detailed tests for electric agricultural tractors. These include testing of PTO power, drawbar power, performance of belts and pulleys, vibration measurement, specification verification, and inspection of critical components and assemblies. The standard draws technical reference from IS 5994:2022 ‘Agricultural Tractors — Test Code’ and relevant Automotive Industry Standards for electric vehicles, suitably adapted for agricultural applications.
Implementation of IS 19262:2025 through authorised testing institutes is expected to support the wider adoption of electric agricultural tractors in India, promote innovation in clean agricultural technologies, and contribute to reduced emissions and sustainable farm mechanisation. The test data generated under the prescribed procedures will provide a scientific basis for evaluating performance and safety, and is expected to aid future development of acceptance criteria and conformity assessment schemes specific to electric tractors.
Electric agricultural tractors are an emerging segment of India’s farm mechanisation ecosystem, using battery-powered electric motors instead of conventional diesel engines. With advances in battery technology, electric motors and power electronics, these tractors now offer improved efficiency and operational capability. They provide a sustainable alternative to diesel-powered tractors by eliminating tailpipe emissions, reducing noise levels, lowering operating and maintenance costs, and improving the working environment for farmers.
The standard also addresses the earlier absence of harmonised testing procedures for electric tractors, which had posed challenges in consistent assessment of performance and safety. Acting on the request of the Mechanisation & Technology Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, BIS undertook the formulation of this standard on a priority basis.
The development process involved extensive consultation with stakeholders, including electric tractor manufacturers, testing and certification agencies, research and academic institutions, and technical experts in agricultural engineering and electric mobility. Contributions were made by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute, Budni, Tractor and Mechanisation Association, Automotive Research Association of India, and All India Farmers Alliance, among others.
The voluntary notification of IS 19262:2025 marks a significant step in strengthening India’s standardisation framework for emerging agricultural technologies, while aligning domestic practices with evolving global trends in electric mobility and sustainable farm mechanisation.