New Delhi, November 11: The government has prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass, the powder recovered from shredded used batteries, in a move aimed at keeping critical minerals in the country for domestic recyclers.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Department of Commerce, changed the export policy for lithium-ion battery black mass under ITC(HS) Code 85491400 from “Free” to “Prohibited” through Notification No. 49/2026-27, dated 10 November 2026. The ban takes effect immediately and will remain until further orders. Transitional arrangements under Para 1.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 will apply.
What black mass is
Black mass is produced by shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and from battery manufacturing waste. It contains lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are key inputs for electric mobility, advanced batteries, energy storage, electronics and renewable energy. India imports a large share of its supply of several of these minerals.
Why the ban
The Commerce Ministry said domestic battery recycling capacity has grown but remains under-used because of limited feedstock, and some recyclers have had to import material. Keeping black mass in India is intended to secure supply for recyclers, raise capacity utilisation, attract investment, create jobs and reduce import dependence and foreign exchange outflow.
The ministry said the step will also support battery, electric vehicle and clean-energy supply chains, promote the circular economy and “urban mining”, and encourage environmentally sound recycling in line with applicable rules.
Link to critical mineral mission
The measure complements the National Critical Mineral Mission and its ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2025, which supports recycling capacity for recovering critical minerals from battery and electronic waste. The ministry said several major economies have taken similar steps to keep battery waste and black mass for domestic processing.
Related: Cabinet approves ₹14,500 crore VGF scheme for 92 GWh grid-scale energy storage