Parliament Question: Ban of power bank usage and lithium battery in flight

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1801 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th March 2026 BAN OF POWER BANK USAGE AND LITHIUM BATTERY IN FLIGHT 1801. SHRI SANJAY KUMAR JHA Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government has barred use of power banks to charge portable electronic devices inflight amid instances of lithium batteries catching fire mid-flight; (b) when was the first such instance reported to the DGCA; (c) whether is it a fact that aviation experts have warned airlines to strictly enforce one-hand- bag-per-passenger rules to complement the ban on in-flight use of power banks; and (d) whether there is a need for formal policy intervention to enforce the ban or there are reasonable safeguards in place? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (d): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued Dangerous Goods Advisory Circular dated 11.11.2025, advising airlines to prohibit the use of power banks for charging portable electronic devices during flight, in view of safety concerns arising from lithium battery-related incidents. The first such instance was reported to DGCA on 19.10.2025. The Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Rules, 2026, no operator shall carry, nor shall any person cause or permit to be carried in any aircraft to, from, within, or over India, or deliver or cause to be delivered for loading on such aircraft, any dangerous goods except in accordance with and subject to the requirements specified in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. ******