Smarter, Safer, Greener: This Week in Auto Tech
EV and Autonomous Driving are among the leading topics that are keeping automotive engineers busy across the world. And that's also reflected in a way in this week's edition of our ETAutoTech newsletter.Talking about EVs, building just good EVs may not be good enough. Building them with minimal environmental impact is. And, that's why any technology development that eliminates use of rare earth minerals commands special attention. Let us take a look.
Top Highlights
Made in India, Rare-Earth Free!
VNIT's Game-Changer for EVs
Nagpur's VNIT researchers have developed rare earth-free tech for
electric vehicles
—marking a major step in reducing India's reliance on Chinese imports.
Why it matters:
Rare-earth magnets are expensive and geopolitically sensitive. This innovation could change the EV cost equation.
Read Full Story
Smart Tech Trends
India 2030: Self-Driving Boom?
NITI Aayog's Big Forecast
By 2030, the Indian auto landscape will be dominated by self-driving, smart, and safe tech features. Expect AI, ADAS, and automation to rule the road.
Get the Insights
Cloud Cars Are Coming
Wipro Showcases AI-Powered SDV in Bengaluru
Wipro's CEO Srini Pallia unveiled a cloud-connected car prototype built on AI-driven software-defined vehicle (SDV) architecture.
See What's Inside
ADAS on the Road
NueGo Brings Driver Assistance to Electric Buses
Electric bus operator NueGo equips its fleet with
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
(ADAS) to boost safety on highways.
Explore More
Global Moves
Flying Taxis in NYC?
Archer & United Team Up
Archer plans to launch an air-taxi network in New York City with United Airlines. Think Uber for the skies.
Catch the Flight Plan
China vs. Buzzwords
Ban on 'Smart' & 'Autonomous' in Ads
China clamps down on misleading vehicle ads using terms like 'smart' or 'autonomous' unless fully validated.
Read the Policy Shift
Japan Talks Safety Amid Trade Tensions
Car Safety Takes Center Stage in Tariff Talks
Japan to raise auto safety standards as a bargaining chip in upcoming tariff discussions with the US.
Inside the Talks
EV Disruptions
Tesla Faces Heat
Robotaxis & Budget EVs in the Spotlight
Tesla scrambles to refocus on affordable EVs and its long-promised robotaxi rollout amid backlash and sliding demand.
Full Story
Volkswagen's China Strategy
In-House Autonomous Driving for China
VW doubles down on local R&D, building its own automated driving tech tailored to Chinese roads.
View Development Plans
Startup Spotlight
Garuda Aerospace Lifts Off
Raises ₹100 Cr in Series B
Drone-tech startup Garuda Aerospace secures big funding from Venture Catalysts to expand into precision agri and smart delivery.
Read the Funding Update
Looking Ahead
Nissan Sets 2027 Target
Next-Gen Autonomy by FY27
Nissan to roll out next-generation autonomous driving technology with real-time hazard perception by fiscal year 2027.
Future Drive Tech
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Mint
18 minutes ago
- Mint
Centre to introduce minimum import price on pharmaceutical raw materials to curb cheap Chinese imports
New Delhi: India plans to introduce a minimum import price (MIP) for select pharmaceutical raw materials in a move to shield its domestic industry from a flood of cheap Chinese imports, two people directly involved in the process said, a step that will also shore up India's status as the world's largest supplier of generic drugs. India accounts for about 20% of the global supply of generic drugs and manufactures about 60,000 generic brands, across 60 categories. The plan comes against the backdrop of the Centre's move to bulk up its Production Linked incentive (PLI) scheme for generic drugs by including more molecules used in manufacturing key starting materials (KSMs), drug intermediates, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). KSMs and intermediates are chemical compounds used to synthesize APIs, which are the main components of a drug. 'The government is working on a plan to impose a minimum import price on all PLI based pharmaceutical products. The plan is to protect the domestic industry so that they are able to continue to do the business and to make India self-reliant," said one of the two people mentioned above. The measure seeks to build on India's recent success with domestic production of critical antibiotics such as Penicillin G. The API industry is a crucial segment of the pharmaceutical sector, accounting for about 35% of the market. However, India is dependent on imports for 80% of its bulk drug requirement. Bolstering self reliance The move also aims to bolster India's goal of self-reliance in the pharmaceutical sector. The heavy reliance on China, the world's largest producer and exporter of APIs, creates significant risks for India's medicine supply chain. In 2021, the government launched the ₹15,000 crore PLI scheme for the pharmaceuticals sector. There are about 500 API manufacturers in India, which account for about 8% of the global API industry. In addition, the production of APIs for essential medicines is also promoted through a dedicated PLI scheme for bulk drugs, KSMs and APIs. The government is seeking new applications as the previous iteration of the PLI scheme failed to meet the expectations due to dumping of cheap commodities from China. Also read | India curbs exports of 13 key pharma ingredients These schemes are aimed at protecting and encouraging domestic ingredient manufacturing which is seen as a critical step in securing the future growth and stability of India's pharma sector. According to the second person, the plan is a direct response to appeals from the domestic API industry, which has struggled to compete with the low prices of Chinese products. 'Actually, industry needs protection like some anti-dumping measures and MIP to make India self-reliant," the second person said, referring to a practice where a country 'dumps' its exports in other countries at prices that are less that what it costs to make these goods. Exports marginally higher As per commerce ministry data, India recorded a modest trade surplus in bulk drugs and intermediates in FY25, with exports totalling $4.90 billion and imports at $4.64 billion. In FY24, exports stood at $4.79 billion, slightly ahead of imports worth $4.56 billion, again resulting in a surplus. Similarly, in FY23, exports were $4.77 billion compared to imports of $4.51 billion, continuing the trend of a positive trade balance in this segment. The Indian Drugs Manufacturers' Association (IDMA) called for a cautious and data-driven approach to the proposal for imposing minimum import prices on select APIs and KSMs. The industry body has warned the government against a blanket application of the trade measure. 'We believe that a data-backed, well-studied and balanced approach should be considered," said Viranchi Shah, national spokesperson for IDMA. While the move is intended to discourage cheap imports and support the domestic pharma industry, Shah cautioned that India's strong position in finished formulation exports must not be compromised. Also read | India seeks financial details of pharmaceutical marketing practices 'The minimum import price should not come as a blanket strategy across the board, considering that India also has a very strong formulation industry," he said. 'Our industry has to remain competitive both domestically and globally." IDMA reiterated its support to the government's self-reliance push under the 'Atma-Nirbhar Bharat" campaign but urged policy planners to ensure that trade interventions like MIP do not end up hampering Indian exports by making them more costly. Queries sent to the spokespersons of India's commerce ministry, and department of pharmaceuticals on Friday and the Embassy of China in New Delhi on Saturday remained unanswered till the press time. China dependent Ajay Srivastava, co-founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a policy think tank, said India's chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector—which plays a crucial role in healthcare, agriculture, and industry—is becoming heavily dependent on imports from China. 'This growing reliance not only exposes India to supply chain vulnerabilities but also raises significant strategic concerns, especially in the current global climate where geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions are increasingly common. Strengthening domestic production is thus not just an economic priority but a national security imperative," he said. A GTRI report from April 2024 states that India's imports of chemicals and pharmaceuticals reached $54.8 billion in FY2024. Between 2007 and 2022, China's share in these imports rose sharply from 18% to 29%, with imports from China increasing nearly fourfold—from $4.4 billion to $17.4 billion. Also read | Bitter pill for Indian pharma as Trump tariffs could hurt exports by $2.25 bn Although imports from other countries has also ballooned, the heavy dependence on China remains a major strategic concern. In 2022, India's chemical and pharmaceutical imports totaled $76.94 billion, with China accounting for 26.8%, followed by Saudi Arabia, the US, Japan, and Russia. There has been a notable increase in antibiotic imports from $551.2 million in 2007-10 to $1.27 billion in 2020-22, an increase of 130.7%. Here too, China's market share climbed to 81.7%, underscoring a high dependency on Chinese pharmaceutical products essential for addressing widespread public health needs in India, it said. Instrument of control A minimum import price is an instrument used by countries to control surplus imports. As a case in point, India has used MIPs to curb the import of steel and agricultural products like onions and pulses. By filtering out extremely low-cost imports, MIP also helps maintain quality standards, ensuring that only manufacturers capable of meeting cost-based compliance and quality norms supply APIs to the Indian market. 'While such a measure could lead to a short-term increase in input costs for drug makers dependent on Chinese supplies, it is seen as a necessary step for strengthening the domestic pharmaceutical ecosystem and reducing strategic vulnerabilities," said Abhash Kumar, a trade economist and assistant professor of economics at Delhi University. Also read | India eyes Asean to boost pharma exports An MIP is not outright banned under WTO rules, but it can face challenges if used unfairly or for extended periods. The WTO also allows rules-based instruments like tariffs or anti-dumping duties backed by formal investigations. India imposed an MIP on steel in 2016, but later replaced it with WTO-compliant remedies like safeguard duties.
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
1st time since Independence, Aizawl will be in Indian rly map: Vanlalruati
1 2 3 4 Aizawl: The state capital is set to join the national railway map with the Bairabi-Sairang rail line being operational by June or July due to the concerted efforts made by the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP's state executive member and vice-president of the party's Aizawl district K Vanlalruati said on Sunday. Vanlalruati informed TOI, "Progress accelerated after the NDA govt came to power in 2014 with Mizoram being first linked to the broad gauge network at Bairabi in 2016. Now, for the first time since Independence, Aizawl city will be in the Indian railway map." Operation of the railway service will mark a historic step for regional connectivity and the Sairang Railway Station is being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Scheme, she said. Underscoring the importance of road communication in the state, she said key projects like the Aizawl-Tuipang Highway and Seling-Champhai Corridor have been completed under the Modi govt and have improved links to Myanmar, Bangladesh as well as neighbouring states such as Assam, Tripura and Manipur, boosting trade and mobility. BJP state unit has been launching an awareness programme on '11 Years Of Modi Govt' across the state to educate the common people on the benefits of the numerous central govt's flagship programmes and schemes, she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo "Connectivity has improved significantly under Modi's govt, with over 1,000km of national highways developed, including 620km completed by the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). In the last four years, NHIDCL has executed works worth over Rs 13,000 crore across these 620km and Rs 6,400 crore has been sanctioned for future NHIDCL projects, which are scheduled to commence soon," Vanlalruati said. In housing, over 48,000 homes have been built under PM Awas Yojana with Aibawk town becoming India's first completed urban cluster, and Aizawl is seeing Rs 513 crore worth of development under the Smart Cities Mission, she said, adding that over 1.24 lakh households have received tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission in Mizoram.
India.com
34 minutes ago
- India.com
Russia Drops Historic Super Fighter Bombshell For India; Know What Left America Stunned
New Delhi: Russia has put a game-changing offer on India's table – full access to the source code of its cutting-edge Su-57 stealth fighter jet. This is no longer about buying planes. Moscow is now offering New Delhi not only the supply of its advanced fifth-generation Su-57E fighter but also the complete software technology behind it, plus permission to build the aircraft domestically. This proposal comes as India is seriously weighing the purchase of America's F-35A stealth fighters, leaving the country at crossroads between two global powers. So, what makes Russia's offer so special? For starters, India would get complete access to the Su-57E's source code, allowing Indian engineers to integrate their own weapons and avionics systems. This means a massive boost to India's 'Make in India' ambitions, as the country can not only assemble but manufacture this stealth fighter on its own soil. India could equip the jet with indigenous missiles such as Astra, Rudram and other homegrown weaponry, customising it to its specific defense needs. On the other hand, America's F-35A is widely regarded as a technological marvel, but the United States remains protective of its secrets. India would only get a limited number of F-35 jets, with restricted access to their full capabilities and no software source code handed over. The deal with the United States offers political and strategic advantages, especially through alliances like the QUAD, but it falls short in terms of full technological empowerment. India now faces a high-stakes strategic dilemma. Russia has been a trusted defense partner for decades and is ready to hand over critical technology that can make India self-reliant in the skies. Meanwhile, the United States promises strong diplomatic ties and political support but with limited technological sharing. For India's military modernisation and future readiness, Russia's offer is tempting — full control, local manufacturing and complete sovereignty over an advanced stealth fighter. Choosing between these two giants is more than a procurement decision. It is also about India's long-term defense strategy and where it places its trust – in the tech-rich but cautious the United States or the open-handed yet traditional Russian partner. Whatever India decides will shape its military strength and geopolitical stance for decades to come.
