New Delhi: Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, on Tuesday announced that the union government is planning to introduce a new rule setting air conditioner (AC) temperatures no lower than 20°C and no higher than 28°C across all sectors, including vehicles.

The move is reportedly meant to reduce power demand spikes and electricity consumption, and hence cut electricity bills. With the new AC use restriction, users in the country can set their temperature only to the range of 20–28 degrees, making them unable to adjust the temperature outside these limits.

Read Also: India’s Electricity Consumption May Surge By 8% In 2024: IEA Report

Several ACs currently allow them to set temperatures as low as 16°C or 18°C and as high as 30°C, and with the government’s new restriction, they will not cross temperature of 20°C and a maximum of 28°C.

The union minister said that the government has decided that the minimum temperature of ACs will be fixed at 20°C and the maximum at 28°C to bring uniformity to air conditioning use and help reduce excessive power consumption due to extremely low cooling settings.

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As per the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) mandate in 2020, the default temperature for all room and car ACs must be set at 24°C. This applies to all brands and types of star-labelled ACs, though users can adjust the temperature between 24°C and 25°C in commercial buildings to optimize energy efficiency and comfort.

Officials are consulting with line ministries, manufacturers, and the automotive industry, and the guidelines will be issued, and the rule will be implemented accordingly.

Earlier, there were reports that the Center was looking to tighten efficiency standards for AC manufacturers and revise the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.

Reacting to the government’s move to dictate AC temperature for users in India, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale called it ridiculous. Noting that people will not be unable to reduce or increase the temperature outside these limits, the Rajya Sabha MP pointed out the worst is that these new rules will apply everywhere, including homes, establishments, and even cars.

Calling the decision “incredibly foolish,” the MP listed out the reasons: 1. When temperatures exceed 40 degrees (like every summer), you need to run the AC at a low temperature for some time to cool down an extremely heated room. 2. This move does not account for humidity, which significantly raises temperatures.

“Therefore, even when kept at a minimum of 20 degrees, the “real feel” temperature will be much higher in places that are humid,” he pointed out.

The politician further said the decision is another example of the Modi Govt trying to control people’s daily life for no reason, adding that the government imposes a GST of 28% on air-conditioners, making them a luxury even while the country is increasingly seeing heatwaves.

“I will be writing to Hon’ble Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ji asking him to withdraw this extremely illogical policy,” the TMC leader wrote.

Yet another RIDICULOUS move by the Modi Govt

The govt is bringing in a rule where new air-conditioners will be restricted to the range of 20-28 degrees.

This means that you will be unable to reduce or increase the temperature outside these limits.

What’s worse is that these… pic.twitter.com/sNduaP8A8f

— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) June 11, 2025

Author Mini Nair also slammed the government’s move, stating they are now planning to dictate the “temperature setting on ACs in your room after you bought them at 28% GST.”

The government now wants to dictate the temperature setting on ACs in your room after you bought them at 28% GST.

New Indian air-conditioners will have 20 degrees C as minimum temperature. pic.twitter.com/rl6cokL5qF

— Mini Nair (@minicnair) June 11, 2025