India has prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass to strengthen domestic battery recycling and improve the recovery of critical minerals. The move aims to ensure that valuable materials recovered from used batteries and manufacturing waste remain available to Indian recyclers and refiners, supporting the country’s efforts to build a reliable domestic supply chain for critical minerals. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued the export prohibition through a notification dated 10 November 2026, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Black Mass: A Valuable Source of Critical Minerals
Black mass is a powdery material generated by shredding end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing waste, followed by the removal of larger metal and plastic components. Depending on the battery chemistry, this material contains recoverable quantities of valuable minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite. These resources play an essential role in manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, advanced chemistry cells, energy storage systems, electronics and renewable energy technologies.Therefore, recovering these minerals through recycling offers an opportunity to reduce dependence on imported raw materials and strengthen India’s domestic critical mineral supply chain.
Export Ban Aims to Strengthen Domestic Recycling Capacity
India relies significantly on imports to meet its requirements for several critical minerals. Consequently, recycling battery waste has emerged as one of the most sustainable ways to develop domestic sources of these essential resources. Although India’s capacity to recycle battery waste and refine critical minerals has expanded considerably, domestic facilities are not operating at their full potential because of inadequate feedstock availability.
Meanwhile, exporting domestically generated black mass diverts valuable secondary raw materials to overseas markets. As a result, some Indian recyclers have had to import black mass to meet their processing requirements. The government has introduced the export prohibition to address this imbalance and ensure that domestically generated black mass is processed and refined within India.
Government Seeks to Secure Critical Mineral Resources
Ajay Srivastava, Founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), said the government had acted to prevent future shipments of black mass overseas and retain this valuable material for domestic refiners. He explained that black mass contains recoverable minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite, depending on the chemistry of the batteries being processed. These materials can be recovered and reused in various industrial applications, particularly battery manufacturing.
Effective Customs Enforcement Will Be Crucial
However, effective implementation of the export ban will depend on strict monitoring by Customs authorities. According to Srivastava, officials must verify how the material is produced and declared, as exporters could potentially use different product descriptions or tariff classifications to disguise the same battery waste. Therefore, accurate classification and effective enforcement will be essential to prevent unauthorised exports and ensure that domestically generated black mass reaches Indian recycling and refining facilities.
Supporting India’s Critical Mineral Supply Chain
The export prohibition marks an important step towards strengthening India’s battery recycling ecosystem and improving the domestic recovery of critical minerals. By retaining black mass within the country, the government aims to improve feedstock availability, increase utilisation of existing recycling capacity and reduce dependence on imported mineral resources. As reported by deccanherald.com, the move is also expected to support India’s growing electric vehicle, battery manufacturing and energy storage industries while promoting a more sustainable and circular economy.
