Govt, industry, academia working to resolve issues concerning rare earth magnets: Meity official
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
The government, industry and academia are working to resolve the issues concerning rare earth magnets , which are used in the automobile sector and other devices, a senior Meity official said on Friday.The technology exists to make rare earth magnets but to produce them at a commercially competitive rate is a challenge, Ministry of Electronics and IT, Additional Secretary, Amitesh Sinha said.Speaking on the sidelines of the Tec-Verse event showcasing PSU technology research, Sinha said that to solve the issues concerning rare earth, all three partners - government, industry and academia - are doing their work."Technology is there, but we have to see how commercially we can do it at a competitive price. So that is the main challenge. The government will surely work because these things are now becoming strategic and important," Sinha said.The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology ( C-MET ), a research unit under Meity, at the event signed a transfer of technology agreement with Ahmedabad-based firm Somal Magnets for the production of rare earth magnets.Sinha said the work on the technology development has been going on for some years as the government realises the importance of material technologies."It is an effort of the last few years. So they (C-MET) have already been working on it, but suddenly the focus has come on this rare earth material. For such things, first we will have to develop a capability which, at the time of crisis, can be easily scaled. So that kind of infrastructure or capability we are aiming for now," Sinha said.He, however, said Meity is not directly engaged in the production of rare earth magnets but only in some technologies that are important for their production.In April 2024, China implemented strict export licensing on rare earth elements like terbium and dysprosium - key inputs for high-level performance NdFeB ( Neodymium-Iron-Boron ) magnets used in consumer electronics.The country's oldest electronics industry body, Elcina, said that the move has disrupted global supply chains, hitting India's fast-growing hearables and wearables sector hard, and the device makers are switching to import fully assembled speaker modules from China.Elcina estimates that the rare earth metal-based magnets account for around 5-7 per cent of the Bill of Materials, and India imports nearly 100 per cent of its NdFeB magnet requirement, with China accounting for 90 per cent of the total imports.The industry body said prices of China-origin magnets have increased due to tightened supply and administrative bottlenecks, and alternate sources, such as Japan, the European Union and the US, are 2-3 times more expensive and also lack sufficient capacity to meet India's rising demand.Rare earth magnets include neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB). It is used for high-performance automotive applications such as traction motors in electric vehicles (two-wheelers and passenger vehicles) and power steering motors (in passenger vehicles) in both electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
30 minutes ago
- India.com
Is Trump Ready To Risk Key Ally India For His America-First Agenda? Nikki Haley Sounds Alarm
Washington: 'To achieve America's foreign policy goals of outcompeting China, few objectives are more critical than getting relations between Washington and New Delhi back on track,' wrote Nikki Haley, U.S. President Donald Trump's fellow Republican and former U.N. ambassador, in an op-ed for Newsweek. She urged that India must be treated 'like the prized free and democratic partner that it is, not an adversary like China, which has thus far avoided sanctions for its Russian oil purchases, despite being one of Moscow's largest customers'. She warned that undoing decades of diplomatic momentum with the only Asian power capable of balancing Beijing would be a 'strategic disaster'. She also highlighted India's role in shifting supply chains away from China. 'While the Trump administration works to bring manufacturing back to our shores, India stands alone in its potential to manufacture at a China-like scale for products that cannot be quickly or efficiently produced here, like textiles, inexpensive phones and solar panels,' she said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Haley described New Delhi as a 'crucial asset to the free world's security', stressing that unlike authoritarian China, a rising democratic India strengthens the global order. Trump, however, has unsettled both allies and critics by threatening to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for importing discounted oil from Russia. The measure comes on top of a similar levy already rolled out this month, taking the total duty to 50 per cent. Once hailed as Washington's counterweight to China, New Delhi now finds itself grouped with Brazil, whose President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has already threatened retaliation. Beijing, the largest buyer of Russian crude, has been spared from similar penalties. 'Biggest Mistake' Geopolitical analyst Fareed Zakaria joined the wave of criticism. Speaking to CNN, he called the tariff push 'America's biggest foreign policy mistake', warning that even if Trump walks back the decision, 'the damage is done'. According to him, India now views the United States as 'unreliable, its willingness to be brutal to those whom it calls its friends' and may deepen its ties with Russia while easing tensions with China. 'Stupidest Tactical Move' Economist Jeffrey Sachs struck a similar note. On 'Breaking Points' with Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, he said the White House is effectively binding the BRICS bloc closer together. He branded the tariffs 'the stupidest tactical move in U.S. foreign policy' and labelled Trump 'the great unifier of BRICS'. 'Tariff Tantrum' The pushback has reached Capitol Hill as well. Senior Congressman Gregory Meeks, a Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, denounced the policy as a 'tariff tantrum' that risks dismantling over two decades of strategic, economic and cultural ties. 'We have deep strategic, economic and people-to-people ties. Concerns should be addressed in a mutually respectful way consistent with our democratic values,' he said.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Lord Swraj Paul, NRI industrialist and philanthropist, dies at 94
Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul passed away in London on Thursday evening, family sources said. He was Paul, founder of UK-based Caparo Group of industries, had been taken ill and hospitalised recently, where he passed away surrounded by members of his House of Lords peer was born in Jalandhar and relocated to the UK in the 1960s in pursuit of treatment for his little daughter Ambika's cancer. After she passed away aged four years old, he set up the Ambika Paul Foundation as a charitable trust that went on to donate millions to promote the wellbeing of children and young people all over the world through education and health 'The London Zoo is where she was always the happiest,' recalled Lord Paul last month, during the annual commemoration he hosted at the Ambika Paul Children's Zoo in London – one of the major beneficiaries of the he lost his son Angad Paul in 2015 and his wife Aruna in 2022, he went on to undertake similar philanthropic endeavours in their memory.'This hall is a tribute to my wonderful wife whom I miss very much; we never had an argument during our 65 years of marriage,' said Lord Paul, when he inaugurated the Lady Aruna Swraj Paul Hall at the historic Indian Gymkhana Club in London in February 2023.A regular in the annual 'Sunday Times Rich List', this year he was ranked 81st with an estimated wealth of GBP 2 billion, largely derived from the steel and engineering multinational Caparo Group. Headquartered in London, Caparo operates internationally from over 40 sites, with operations based in the UK, North America, India, and the Middle East. His son, Akash Paul, is Chairman of Caparo India and Director of the Caparo year, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Lord Paul awarded an honorary doctorate to Akash Paul for services to business administration.'Perhaps, I am the only graduate to get a degree from his own father, independently approved by the University Board, of course, I may add,' said Akash Paul, who was accompanied by wife Nisha and son Arush at the ceremony held at the London Zoo.'My son has worked alongside me at Caparo since 1982. Akash was appointed CEO of Caparo Group in 1992. During this time, he furthered Caparo's growth strategy in UK, Europe, USA and India, as well as expanding capacity and increasing profitability of the companies in the United Kingdom and was president, Caparo Automotive Espana, Spain and Executive Board, Bull Moose Tube, USA,' said Lord Paul, who had served as Chancellor of Wolverhampton University for over 26 active member of the Indian diaspora in the UK, Swraj Paul maintained his daily routine of attending the House of Lords despite his frailty in recent months."We pray for the departed soul. May the noble Lord rest in peace," said Lord Rami Ranger, his colleague in the Upper House of Ends
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
IMC, Guj think tank sign deal to promote net-zero housing, sustainable development
Indore: Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and the Unity of Nations Action for Climate Change Council (UNACCC) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that aims to provide 'net-zero housing' for families from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and low-income groups, which will help save up to 30% on energy and fuel costs. The MoU was signed by mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava and `Unity of Nations Action for Climate Change Council' (UNACCC) founder-chairman Dr Rajat Sharma at a 'Conference on Sustainable Indore - A Model for Cities Around the World'. The event was attended by mayor and former Union minister Suresh Prabhu, who joined virtually. Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) Director General Dr Srikanta K Panigrahi was also present on this occasion. Mayor said that the conference was organised to brainstorm and prepare a roadmap for Indore's future. "Other cities in the country are working on Indore's cleanliness model, but we are now working on the next level of cleanliness," he said. He added that the city will work with public participation to make Indore a "net-zero" city by 2045 and 2070. IISD DG Dr Panigrahi praised Indore, saying that the city and its people have made cleanliness a part of their culture and life. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Passive Income Ideas Sitting at Home Mone Click Here Undo He added that Indore has brought pride to the nation and the state of Madhya Pradesh, which was made possible by the collective efforts of its citizens. UNACCC is a Gujarat-based Indian Public Policy Think Tank and Research Institute engaged to evolve a strategic framework for India, in identifying low carbon growth opportunities, Sustainable Development Goal 2030 implementation and facilitates a series of planned and scaled-up programmes. Suresh Prabhu, who joined the conference virtually, commended Indore's efforts, stating that the city is doing excellent work in air improvement, transport, and cleanliness. He also appreciated the work done for waste pickers in Indore. IMC commissioner Shivam Verma said that Indore has always been a leader in innovation and that the city's success is a result of its citizens' cooperation. He stated that the city is continuously working on new innovations in its waste management strategy and will adopt the ideas discussed at the conference to improve the city further. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
