India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has banned the use of power banks for charging devices during flights due to fire risks associated with lithium batteries. The new guidelines, issued in a November circular, mandate that power banks and spare batteries must be carried only in hand baggage and cannot be stored in overhead compartments. This measure aims to prevent delayed detection of potential fires, as lithium battery fires are energetic, self-sustaining, and difficult to extinguish, posing a significant hazard to flight safety.