The invention, growth and popularity of autonomous vehicles (AVs) represents evolution of transportation, offering significant potential to enhance road safety, optimize efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. While many developed nations have embraced AV technology through well defined regulatory frameworks, India's AV sector is still in its nascent stages, with substantial challenges in policy and infrastructure impeding its development. This paper conducts a critical analysis of India's existing regulatory landscape for autonomous vehicles, examining key socio political, economic, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) factors that influence the feasibility and adoption of AVs. Through a comparative benchmarking study, we evaluate the regulatory frameworks of leading countries Singapore, the Netherlands, and Norway each renowned for its progressive AV policies and high readiness for autonomous technology. Using the World Bank Handbook model on Infrastructure Regulatory Systems, this paper identifies key regulatory parameters such as autonomy, transparency, stakeholder representation, and financial independence to assess regulatory effectiveness. The analysis reveals a huge contrast between India's current regulatory readiness and the advanced policies in countries leading the AV space. While these global frameworks prioritize structured testing, licensing, liability guidelines, data protection, and public safety, India lacks a unified approach to address these important aspects. This study proposes a series of actionable recommendations tailored to India's unique context, including the establishment of a dedicated AV regulatory authority, promotion of AV technology through public awareness and educational initiatives, and the formulation of liability and insurance guidelines specific to autonomous operations. Additionally, policy suggestions to strengthen data protection, ensure public safety, and facilitate structured AV testing in designated zones are provided to guide India's AV adoption. This paper aims to bridge the regulatory gap by offering a framework of best practices that combines India’s specific needs with international insights, providing policymakers and engineers with strategic guidelines to advance India’s preparedness for autonomous transportation and engineering. By adopting these recommendations, India can better harness the potential of AVs to transform its transportation ecosystem, promoting sustainable, safe, smart and efficient mobility solutions for the next decade. This paper aims to bridge the regulatory gap by offering a framework of best practices that combines India's specific needs with international insights, providing policymakers and engineers with strategic guidelines to advance India's preparedness This paper aims to bridge the regulatory gap by offering a framework of best practices that combines India's specific needs with international insights, providing policymakers and engineers with strategic guidelines to advance India's preparedness for autonomous transportation and engineering. By adopting these recommendations, India can better harness the potential of AVs to transform its transportation ecosystem, promoting sustainable, safe, smart and efficient mobility solutions for the next decade.
