The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has prohibited exports of lithium-ion battery black mass under a notification dated November 10. A Commerce Ministry release issued on November 11 says the export policy has changed from free to prohibited with immediate effect and until further orders.
The notification concerns the specified material under ITC(HS) code 85491400. Transitional arrangements under paragraph 1.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 remain applicable, according to the release. Businesses with existing commitments therefore need to examine the actual notification and the relevant transition provisions.
Why this material matters
Black mass is the powder produced when spent lithium-ion batteries or battery-manufacturing waste are shredded. It can be processed to recover useful minerals. The government says retaining the material domestically is intended to strengthen recycling capacity and reduce dependence on imported critical minerals.
The measure complements a ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for critical-mineral recycling, the announcement says. The export restriction and that financial programme are separate policy instruments. The release does not establish that every recycler will automatically receive support or that every battery-related export falls under the prohibition.
The business implementation question
For an exporter, the first issue is precise product classification. The notification describes lithium-ion battery black mass; it should not be replaced with a broad claim that all finished batteries are banned from export. The composition and description of a shipment matter when assessing its treatment.
For domestic recyclers, increased material retention may improve potential access to feedstock. Actual recovery still requires processing capacity, environmental controls and buyers for the recovered products. A restriction on exports cannot alone demonstrate how much usable mineral will ultimately be recovered.
Implementation can be assessed through the availability of domestic processing, material flows and compliance with the notified scope. Companies should rely on the published trade notification and applicable professional advice for a specific shipment. The confirmed development is a targeted export-policy change, with domestic recycling and mineral recovery as the stated policy objectives.
Source: Government of India, November 11, 2026.
Featured image: representative stock photograph.
