The Euro NCAP frontal impact crash tests – Offset Deformable Barrier and Full Width Rigid Barrier – are being considered for India’s upcoming NCAP program. This paper studies the characteristics of passenger car crashes in India, based on in‐depth crash data collected under the Road Accident Sampling System – India project, and conducts a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of the Euro NCAP frontal impact tests for Indian conditions. From 839 crashes involving at least one passenger car, a sample of 255 cars involving frontal impacts were identified, and collision partner distribution, passenger compartment intrusion, injury severity and belt usage of occupants were analysed. The collision partner, delta‐V and the width of impact overlap were represented as a matrix, and the percentage of cars covered under the Euro NCAP frontal impact test conditions was determined. The Euro NCAP Offset Deformable Barrier test was found to cover 18% of the sample, while Euro NCAP Full Width Rigid Barrier test covers 2% of the sample. Results also indicate that the incidence of car‐ to‐heavy vehicle collisions in India is high, while that of car‐to‐car collisions is low. A high rate of passenger compartment intrusions, coupled with poor seat‐belt usage, results in high injury severity to car occupants.