The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has exempted short-range automotive radar systems operating in the 77–81 GHz frequency band from licensing requirements, a move expected to support the adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and vehicle safety technologies in India.
In a notification dated June 11, the Ministry of Communications issued the Use of Short-Range Automotive Radar System in the 77–81 GHz Band (Exemption from Licensing Requirements) Rules, 2026, which came into force from the date of the publication of the official gazette.
Under the new framework, automotive radar equipment operating in the 77–81 GHz band can be established, maintained and used without obtaining a radio frequency licence, provided it complies with the conditions laid down in the notification.
The rules cover radar systems installed in vehicles, including passenger cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, construction vehicles, trains, aircraft while taxiing, and vessels operating within Indian territorial waters.
The notification specifies technical parameters for exempted equipment. The maximum average equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) has been capped at 50 dBm, while the maximum peak EIRP is limited to 55 dBm. The maximum emission bandwidth has been fixed at 4 GHz.
Manufacturers and users must ensure that the systems do not cause harmful interference to licensed radio services. In cases where interference is reported, authorities may direct users to discontinue operation or take corrective measures such as relocating equipment, reducing transmission power, or using specified antennas.
The notification also requires automotive radar systems to conform to standards notified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the central government, or internationally recognised standards where domestic standards are not available.
The exemption aligns India’s regulatory regime with global practices for automotive radar technologies, which are increasingly being deployed for collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and other safety applications in connected and autonomous vehicles.