New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- The Centre is set to give Indian tractor makers major relief by delaying the rollout of the next phase of emission rules-the Tractor and Machinery Emission Standards V (TREM V)-for tractors below 50 horsepower (HP), two officials told Mint.

The below 50 HP segment accounts for nine out of 10 tractors sales sold in India, the world's largest tractor market by volumes, and this relaxation, if implemented, will be a substantial relief for tractor makers.

At present, tractors below 50 HP fall under TREM IIIA emission norms, while those above 50 HP follow TREM IV norms. The government had planned to upgrade all horsepower categories to the stricter TREM V emission norms from next year-which would mean the smaller tracto...