Is R-123 banned in India?
Need R-123 for servicing an existing chiller? We supply it in 90.8 kg drums as a registered ODS seller.
The same rules as R-22
R-22 and R-123 are both HCFCs, and Indian law treats them the same way. Both fall under the ODS Rules, 2000, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and administered by the Ozone Cell of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- Selling and stocking. Anyone who sells, stocks or distributes an ozone-depleting substance must be registered first.
- Imports. India makes only HCFC-22, so all HCFC-123 is imported, within the national HCFC allowance.
- New equipment. Using HCFCs to manufacture new equipment has been prohibited since 1 January 2025.
- Existing equipment. Owning, running and servicing an existing HCFC machine remains lawful.
No new R-123 chillers since 2025
The Ozone Cell's wording is plain: from 1 January 2025, use of HCFCs in manufacturing of all new equipment is prohibited under the ODS (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014. The ban covers every HCFC, not only R-22. The Ozone Cell's own handbook on HCFC phase-out in buildings noted years ahead that HCFC-123 would be phased out of new chillers by 2025 under the same amendment.
So a new centrifugal chiller installed in India today is not an R-123 machine. New low-pressure chillers are built for alternatives such as R-1233zd(E) and R-514A; our guide to R-123 replacements compares them. The rule is the same one behind the R-22 equipment ban.
How much R-123 India still uses
| Year | HCFC-123 imports (tonnes) | Of which for servicing |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 373.5 | 306.3 |
| 2017 | 253.5 | 207.8 |
| 2018 | 82.4 | 67.6 |
| 2019 | 77.5 | 50.4 |
| 2020 | 13.0 | 8.4 |
| 2021 | 47.2 | 23.2 |
These are India's reported figures, as published in the HPMP Stage-III document. HCFC-123 is imported mainly from three countries and used mostly for servicing. In ozone terms it is a small part of the picture: 3.50 of India's 1,608.20 ODP-tonne HCFC baseline, against 602.00 for HCFC-22.
The timeline to 2040
The phase-out applies to HCFCs as a group, measured in ODP tonnes against the 2009–2010 baseline. The steps are the ones that govern R-22:
| Date | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2013 | Freeze at baseline |
| 1 Jan 2015 | 10% reduction |
| 1 Jan 2020 | 35% reduction |
| 1 Jan 2025 | 67.5% reduction; HCFCs out of new-equipment manufacturing |
| 1 Jan 2030 | 97.5% reduction |
| 2030–2040 | 2.5% annual-average servicing tail |
| 1 Jan 2040 | Zero |
HPMP Stage-III, the last stage of India's HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (2023–2030), names HCFC-123 alongside HCFC-22, HCFC-142b and HCFC-124. See HPMP Stage III explained and the full phase-out timeline.
If you run an R-123 chiller
Nothing in the rules forces a working R-123 chiller out of service. What changes is supply: each year to 2040 draws on a smaller HCFC allowance, and R-123 already arrives in small volumes.
- Keep it tight. A purge unit running more often than usual is the first sign of a leak, and every kilogram lost is harder to replace.
- Recover, never vent. The charge is a controlled substance; it is recovered at service and at retirement.
- Buy from registered sellers. HCFC-123 is controlled like R-22, so ask to see the seller's ODS registration and check that it names HCFC-123. We hold one and supply R-123 for servicing. How to check a seller.
- Plan the change. Decide on retrofit or replacement with the chiller manufacturer, on your schedule rather than a breakdown's.
How the United States handled R-123
In the US, newly produced HCFCs, R-123 included, may only service equipment made before 1 January 2020, and all production and import of new HCFCs ends in 2030, with limited exceptions. After that, recovered and reclaimed R-123 has to carry the servicing need. India's schedule runs later, with its servicing tail extending to 2040.
Quick answers
Is R-123 banned in India?
No. Using HCFCs, R-123 included, to manufacture new equipment has been prohibited since 1 January 2025, but existing R-123 chillers can still be serviced, with the HCFC servicing allowance reaching zero on 1 January 2040.
Is R-123 regulated like R-22?
Yes. Both are HCFCs controlled under the ODS (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, and both follow India's HCFC phase-out schedule under HPMP Stage-III.
Can a new R-123 chiller be installed in India?
No. Since 1 January 2025 no HCFC may be used to manufacture new equipment in India. New low-pressure chillers use alternatives such as R-1233zd(E) and R-514A.
Does India produce R-123?
No. India produces only HCFC-22; all HCFC-123 is imported, mostly for servicing existing chillers.
Who can sell R-123 in India?
Only sellers registered under Rule 6 of the ODS Rules for HCFC-123. Shree Suswani Refrigeration in Hyderabad holds that registration and supplies R-123 for servicing existing chillers.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · ozonecell.nic.in: “From 1st January 2025, use of HCFCs in manufacturing of all new equipment is prohibited under the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014.”
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · HCFC Phase-out Management Plan Stage-III (2023–2030): India's HCFC-123 imports 2016–2021 from Article 7 data; baseline starting points; Stage-III covers HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, HCFC-123 and HCFC-124.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · HCFC Phase-out Management Plan Stage-II (2017): India produces only HCFC-22 and imports all HCFC-123; HCFC-123 applications in centrifugal chillers and portable fire-extinguisher blends.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · A Handbook for HCFC Phase-out and Energy Efficiency in Buildings: centrifugal chillers of 300 TR and above commonly use low-pressure HCFC-123.
- Montreal Protocol, Annex C Group I (HCFCs and their ODP values) · ozone.unep.org.
- US EPA · Management of HCFC-123 through the Phaseout and Beyond (2020): uses, US servicing rules, recovery and reclamation, alternatives listed for new chillers · PDF.
This guide is general information compiled from the cited sources, not legal, safety or engineering advice. Read our full disclaimer.
Related: R-123 supply · What is R-123? · R-123 vs R-22 · R-123 replacements · Is R-22 banned? · HPMP Stage III