India has banned the export of lithium-ion battery “black mass”, moving to retain scarce critical minerals within the country to feed growing domestic battery recycling units and reduce import dependence.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on November 10 prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass in a notification that now places the item in the prohibited category, a spokesperson for the commerce and industry ministry said.
Black mass is the powdery material obtained by shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing waste; it contains recoverable quantities of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.
“The measure is to assure feedstock for domestic recyclers, reduce import dependence and strengthen battery and clean-energy supply chains,” he said.
The prohibited item covers waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries, and electric accumulators, as well as spent cells, batteries, and accumulators that are unsorted and do not contain lead, cadmium, or mercury, he said.
Critical minerals are essential inputs for electric mobility, advanced chemistry cell batteries, energy storage, electronics and renewable energy, and India depends substantially on imports for several of them, he said. “Recycling of battery waste is among the quickest and most sustainable ways of building a domestic supply of these minerals,” the spokesperson added.
The country’s capacity to recycle battery waste and refine critical minerals has grown considerably, but it is not fully utilised because of a lack of adequate feedstock, he said.
Exporting black mass generated in India diverts this valuable secondary resource abroad, while domestic recyclers have in some cases had to import material to meet their requirements, he said.
The ban seeks to ensure that black mass is recycled and refined within the country. It is expected to ensure feedstock for domestic recycling and refining units, improve their capacity utilisation, and encourage further investment and employment in the sector, he said.
The move will increase domestic recovery of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other critical minerals, reducing import dependence and the associated foreign exchange outflow, he said. It will also strengthen supply chains for battery manufacturing, electric vehicles, energy storage, and clean-energy technologies, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, he added.
The development should be seen in light of the government’s vision to advance the circular economy and ‘urban mining,’ which aim to lower reliance on primary mining, he said. This will also support environmentally sound recycling of this hazardous material within the country under the applicable environmental regulations, he added.
The measure complements the government’s initiatives under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), including the ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme approved by the Cabinet in September 2025 to develop recycling capacity for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources such as battery waste and e-waste