Do not pack power banks, spare lithium batteries, fireworks, lighter fuel, camping gas or hazardous chemicals in checked baggage on India flights. Some items belong in the cabin within permitted limits; others must stay off the aircraft entirely.
However, not everything restricted in hand baggage is banned from the aircraft hold. Properly packed sharp tools, permitted toiletries and certain liquids can travel in checked luggage. The important distinction is between prohibited items, conditionally allowed items and belongings best kept with you.
Last checked: September 18, 2026.
Before checking your suitcase: Remove power banks and spare batteries. Check for forgotten lighters, fuel, vapes and hazardous household products. If your cabin bag is taken for gate-checking, remove cabin-only batteries before handing it over.
On This Page
- Checked baggage restrictions at a glance
- Power banks, batteries and electronics
- Fuels, chemicals, lighters and vapes
- Perfume, deodorant and toiletries
- Alcohol in checked luggage
- Knives, scissors and tools
- Food, spices and agricultural products
- Medical equipment and special approval
- Medicines, valuables and documents
- If security finds a prohibited item
- Frequently asked questions
What Is Banned in Checked Baggage in India?
| Item | Checked baggage status | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Power banks and spare lithium batteries | Not permitted | Carry eligible batteries in cabin baggage with terminals protected. |
| Fireworks, firecrackers, flares and gunpowder | Prohibited | Do not bring them in passenger baggage. |
| Petrol, lighter refills, paint thinner and camping fuel | Prohibited | Leave them out of both checked and cabin bags. |
| Camping gas cartridges and fuel cylinders | Prohibited as ordinary passenger baggage | Do not treat them like toiletry aerosols. |
| Corrosive cleaners, pesticides and other dangerous chemicals | Prohibited | Do not pack hazardous household or industrial products. |
| E-cigarettes and vapes | Do not carry on India flights | Moving them to cabin baggage does not resolve Indian restrictions. |
| Pepper spray and dangerous-goods-containing stun devices | Prohibited | Do not pack them for personal protection. |
| Perfume and permitted toiletry aerosols | Allowed within applicable limits | Check quantities and protect against leakage or accidental discharge. |
| Ordinary scissors and tools | May be allowed | Secure sharp edges and check the exact item with the airline. |
| Cash, jewellery and essential documents | Keep with you; airline conditions may prohibit checking valuables | Use cabin baggage rather than treating these as ordinary checked contents. |
Use the operating airline’s item-specific rules for each flight. International journeys also involve destination and transit restrictions. Airline acceptance does not establish customs permission.
Power Banks, Spare Batteries and Electronics
Power banks and loose batteries
Power banks are treated as spare batteries and must not go into checked luggage. Carry permitted spares in the cabin, individually protected from short circuits. Use a battery case, original packaging or protected terminals so they cannot contact keys or coins.
Check the battery’s watt-hour rating and the airline’s quantity limits. Do not assume that a larger battery becomes acceptable simply because you put it in your hand baggage. See IATA’s lithium battery safety guidance and our power bank rules for India flights.
Laptops, cameras and devices with installed batteries
A battery installed inside a device is not treated identically to a loose spare. Where the airline permits a device in checked baggage, it must be protected against damage and accidental activation and fully switched off, not left sleeping or hibernating.
Keep valuable electronics in your cabin bag where possible. Consult the IATA passenger dangerous-goods table and the airline’s device restrictions.
Smart suitcases
If checking a smart bag with a removable lithium battery, remove the battery and carry it in the cabin. Non-removable batteries can make a bag unacceptable, depending on their specification. See our smart luggage guide.
Fuels, Chemicals, Lighters and Vapes
IndiGo’s baggage policy prohibits categories including flammable fuels and solvents, oxidising substances, toxic chemicals and compressed gases. Familiar household uses do not make these products safe for flight. Check labels before packing cleaning supplies, workshop products or camping equipment.
Source: IndiGo baggage policy.
Lighters and matches
Do not pack lighters or matches in checked luggage. International guidance about carrying a small lighter on your person is not permission for every India itinerary. Air India lists lighters as prohibited. See our India guide to lighters and matches.
Camphor and dried coconut
Air India lists camphor and copra, including crushed dried coconut, as prohibited. Do not assume an item is acceptable because it is intended for cooking or a religious ceremony. Fresh coconut is a different entry in its policy.
E-cigarettes and vapes
Do not follow overseas advice that simply says “put your vape in cabin baggage.” IndiGo’s conditions prohibit e-cigarette transport and allow refusal of passengers or baggage containing them. See the official conditions of carriage and our India flight vape guide.
Can You Pack Perfume, Deodorant and Shampoo?
Toiletries are not all banned from checked baggage. The cabin-security 100 ml container rule is not a universal checked-bag liquid limit.
For eligible medicinal and toiletry articles, including permitted aerosols, IATA specifies a combined maximum of 2 kg or 2 litres per person, with each article limited to 0.5 kg or 0.5 litre. Aerosol valves need protection against accidental release. Airlines may impose stricter conditions.
This exception does not make spray paint, fuel sprays or every household aerosol acceptable. Check the product category, not just the can’s size. Source: IATA passenger dangerous-goods provisions.
For packing details, read aerosol cans on India flights.
Can Alcohol Go in Checked Baggage?
Air India permits up to 5 litres per person of alcoholic beverages in the specified 24%–70% alcohol range, in original retail packaging and containers no larger than 5 litres. Stronger alcohol is not covered by this allowance.
Check the exact strength, airline conditions and route before packing. A baggage allowance is separate from international duty-free allowances and state alcohol restrictions. Paying customs duty does not make an aviation-prohibited product acceptable.
Source: Air India’s alcohol and restricted-item guidance.
Are Knives, Scissors and Tools Banned from Checked Bags?
No blanket ban applies to every sharp object. Air India lists scissors, box cutters and certain knives as permitted in checked baggage, with sharp edges securely wrapped or sheathed.
Weapons, specialised tools and powered equipment need separate checks. A tool body, its battery and any fuel can have different carriage rules. Read our power tools guide before packing workshop equipment.
Do not treat firearms or ammunition as ordinary tools. Where carriage is permitted, licensing, airline approval, declaration and special packing requirements apply. IATA describes this as a controlled exception in its passenger dangerous-goods guidance.
Are Food, Spices, Fruits and Plants Banned?
Food is not one single prohibited category. Check the individual product and route instead of treating all homemade food, fresh produce or powders as dangerous goods.
- Domestic travel: Airline restrictions, odour, packaging and leakage matter.
- International travel: Food and agricultural products may also face destination import, declaration or quarantine requirements.
- Dangerous products: An item classified as dangerous goods does not become acceptable because it is edible or factory-sealed.
For example, IndiGo publishes restrictions covering fish and other seafood and items emitting offensive odours. Check its baggage FAQ before relying on general food-packing advice.
Use our guides to spices on India flights, carrying mangoes and Indian customs restrictions for the relevant checks.
Medical Equipment and Items Requiring Approval
Medical oxygen, battery-powered mobility aids and temperature-controlled medical shipments require specific arrangements. A general dangerous-goods allowance does not mean every airline accepts every configuration.
Contact the operating airline before travel with the equipment model, battery details and medical requirements. Do not put an oxygen cylinder or a large mobility-aid battery into an ordinary suitcase and assume it will be accepted.
IATA provides dedicated passenger and mobility-aid guidance. For mercury-containing equipment, see our thermometer restrictions guide.
Medicines, Jewellery, Cash and Documents
These items should not be grouped with explosives or fuels. The reasons to keep them with you include access during travel, loss risk and airline conditions concerning valuables.
IndiGo advises carrying medication, money, jewellery, electronics and other precious or fragile belongings in cabin baggage. Its dangerous-goods page also states that it does not transport valuables in checked luggage. See the official guidance.
Keep essential medicines, identification, travel documents and necessary prescriptions accessible. Check medicine-specific legal and storage requirements separately.
What Happens If Security Finds a Prohibited Item?
Your bag may require further inspection, and the item may be removed or refused carriage. IndiGo warns that removed prohibited items may not be returned. Its conditions also allow baggage searches in a passenger’s absence when the passenger is unavailable.
If you realise you checked a prohibited battery or other restricted item, tell airline staff immediately. Do not wait until arrival.
- Follow instructions and respond promptly if staff call you for baggage screening.
- Ask what options are available for the particular item.
- Request documentation if an item is retained, where available.
- Do not assume that everything refused in checked baggage can move into the cabin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are power banks allowed in checked baggage?
No. Carry eligible power banks in cabin baggage within airline limits. Remove them before a cabin bag is checked at the gate.
Can I pack a laptop in checked luggage?
It may be permitted subject to the airline’s device and battery rules, but cabin baggage is preferable for valuable electronics. Where checking is allowed, switch the device off completely and protect it against damage and activation.
Can I put a 200 ml shampoo bottle in checked baggage?
The cabin 100 ml rule does not by itself prohibit it. Check that the product is an acceptable toiletry, observe applicable quantity limits and pack it against leaks.
Are all aerosol cans banned?
No. Eligible personal-care aerosols have limited exceptions. Fuel sprays, paint sprays and other hazardous aerosols should not be treated as toiletries.
Are scissors prohibited in checked luggage?
Not automatically. Check the airline’s item list and securely cover sharp edges. Cabin restrictions are different.
Can I carry a vape if I remove its battery?
Do not assume that removing the battery resolves India’s e-cigarette restrictions. Leave the device out of your luggage.
Does factory-sealed packaging make food legal to bring into India?
No. Packaging can help identification and prevent leaks, but it does not override import restrictions, permits or declaration requirements.
Where should I check an unusual item?
Send the operating airline its exact name, photograph, ingredients or safety data, battery specification and intended quantity. Obtain clarification before travelling, especially for chemicals, equipment or medical devices.
