Is India's ban on black mass exports already in force?

Yes. The notification dated 10 November 2026 takes effect immediately and applies until further orders.

Which HS code does the black mass export ban cover?

ITC (HS) 85491400: unsorted battery waste and scrap not containing lead, cadmium or mercury.

Industry estimates about 30,000 tonnes annually, from roughly 70,000 tonnes of end-of-life batteries within 3.2 million tonnes of e-waste.

Lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese, with graphite increasingly recovered as well.

Domestic recyclers and critical mineral processors, who gain greater access to feedstock, according to MRAI.