Adjudication cloud over West Bengal election candidatesThe ruling TMC has already announced the names of 291 candidates for the 294 assembly seats in the state. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By Joydeep Thakur Share via Copy link Kalita Majhi, 38
Air India flies ‘wrong’ Boeing 777 jet to Vancouver, plane makes U-turn after 4 hoursAccording to Flightradar24, the flight turned back while flying over Chinese airspace after being airborne for roughly four hours. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link
The probability of a US recession by the end of 2026 has surged to 36%, according to the prediction platform Polymarket, which tracks real-world events through crowd-sourced betting markets. Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, allows traders to buy and sell shares on real-world
I have been asked this, in one form or another, more times than I can count. Sometimes it arrives wrapped in curiosity – a raised eyebrow from a guest who has just noticed my accent, my name, the fact that I come from somewhere else entirely. Sometimes it arrives as a pointed observation
The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel, US could send a ripple effect in the Indian property market. New Delhi: The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel
Love Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Today's cosmic shift's impact on your love lifeLove Horoscope Today, March 21, 2026: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link Our astrologer, Neeraj Dhankher
A Patiala-based photography and cinematography service has won hearts online with a beautifully crafted pre-wedding video that blends vintage storytelling with modern filmmaking. Shubhdeep Films, a Patiala-based photography and cinematography firm
With energy prices still high due to the conflict in the Gulf, governments around the world are being urged to reduce driving speed limits and encourage more working from home. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested ten measures to reduce the amount of energy being consumed across the
How realistic is India's quest for magnets made of rare earths?
How realistic is India's quest for magnets made of rare earths
In November 2025, India approved a 73bn-rupee ($800m; £600m) plan that could help it to cut its dependence on China in one of the most strategic corners of the global supply chain: rare earth magnets.
These small but powerful components sit at the heart of modern life - used in everything from electric vehicles and wind turbines to smartphones, medical scanners, and defence equipment.
Developing a full rare earths ecosystem is expensive, complex and time-consuming. By focusing on magnets instead, one of the most widely used rare-earth products, India aims to achieve self-reliance more quickly.
But its success will depend on how fast the country can master technology, secure materials and scale up, experts say.
Under the scheme, selected manufacturers will receive capital and sales-linked incentives to produce 6,000 tonnes of permanent magnets a year within seven years. The aim is to meet rising domestic demand, which officials expect to double in five years.
Industry experts warn that money alone will not be enough.
India today imports 80- 90% of its magnets and related materials from China, which controls more than 90% of global rare earth processing. Official figures show the country imported some $221m worth of magnets and related raw material in 2025.
That dependence was exposed last year when China tightened exports during a trade dispute, hitting Indian carmakers and electronics firms, and forcing the electric vehicle (EV) industry to explore alternatives to rare earth magnets altogether.
The disruption was temporary, but the lesson lingered - without a sovereign rare earths strategy, entire industries remain vulnerable.
India is not alone in scrambling for alternatives. The EU, Australia and others have launched similar efforts to loosen China's grip. For many countries, "the timing of the controls came as a surprise", says Rajnish Gupta, a tax and economic policy specialist at EY India.
India's challenge, however, is more complex.
For one, it lacks industrial expertise. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and Germany have spent years refining magnet-making technology. India in comparison has virtually no commercial-scale experience, experts say.
This is a good step in the right direction, but it's only a start," says Neha Mukherjee of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a consulting firm that deals with batteries and rare earth elements. "India will need strategic partnerships to import technology, skill up its workforce and then build its own capabilities.
Dr PV Sunder Raju, chief scientist at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), echoed the concern.
"It's not possible to just give 73bn rupees and expect a product without a strong background in research and development," he said.
There are several research centres, he points out, which can be put to the task. A facility was inaugurated in 2023 at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and another plant backed by public and private partners aims to produce 5,000 tonnes of magnets a year by 2030.
But neither has yet reported output.
There is also the question of raw materials. India holds the world's third-largest, rare earth reserves, about 8% of the global total, largely in the sands of coastal states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Yet it accounts for less than 1% of global mining.
Only one mine is operational in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, and until recently most of its output was exported to Japan under a bilateral deal. (In June 2025, however, India reportedly asked the state miner, IREL, to suspend these exports to safeguard supplies for domestic needs.)
To be fair, India is actively working to expand mining and processing operations. For instance, it has set up the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) under which it pledged to maintain stockpiles and keep its supply chain resilient.
But even if it does manage to tap into its own rare earth reserves, it has only some of the elements needed to make magnets.
So, it has surpluses of lighter rare earths such as neodymium, but lacks extractable quantities of heavier elements like dysprosium and terbium, which are critical for many high-performance magnets.
That raises the question: even if magnets are made in India, will the raw materials still come from China?
There are also concerns around the scale of this operation. India already consumes an estimated 7,000 tonnes of magnets a year, Ms Mukherjee says. Producing 6,000 tonnes by the early 2030s may still leave the country short - and exposed - as demand continues to accelerate.
"If we do not scale capacity, the problem doesn't get solved. We'll still be dependent on China - and China will scale," Ms Mukherjee explains.
Experts also point out that another challenge will be to price domestically made magnets in a way that they don't get undercut by imports. Chinese magnets are cheap and, unless Indian-made alternatives are competitively priced, imports could continue to dominate.
The solution, some argue, may lie in incentives not just for manufacturers but for buyers as well.
"The hope is that Indian players will continue to put in their entrepreneurial energy and get the ecosystem going," Mr Gupta says.
Despite the challenges, the introduction of the scheme is a recognition of India's ambition to bolster its own rare earth ecosystem, and that's worthwhile, he adds.
I think this is certainly better than not having taken the step at all.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: The $800M battle over unpaid wages and moral harassment City bizman gets threat calls from Pakistan demanding $800M Trump approved bill for up to 500% tariffs on countries such as India buying Russian oil Ozempic approved in India Can’t Sleep? These Expert-Approved Yoga Poses And Breathing Techniques Calm The Mind Boeing Blasts Union Offer After Striking Workers Approved Terms Elon Musk’s $1 Trillion Tesla Pay Package Approved Celebrate Navratri With Wholesome And Healthy Chef-Approved Recipes Canadian writer Robert Munsch approved for assisted dying San Siro could be demolished as sale approved
Ronnie O'Sullivan has set a new record for the highest break in professional snooker history, achieving an astonishing 153 at the World Open in China. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record of 148 and further solidifies O'Sullivan's status as a legendary figure in the sport
1 days ago
TMC releases manifesto for West Bengal elections, promises to widen its social sector schemesOne of the 10 pledges of the manifesto focuses on empowerment of women, with the party promising to enhance financial assistance under the Lakshmir Bhandar Published on: Mar 21
1 days ago
Think your iPhone is secure? This new iOS 18 hack may change thatA new iOS exploit can steal users' private information from their iPhones simply by users visiting an infected website on Safari web browser. Updated on: Mar 20, 2026 7:37 PM IST By Shweta Ganjoo Share via Copy link If you haven’t
1 days ago
On social media a heartwarming video is making people smile for all the right reasons. Amid the viral trend of recreating a popular scene from Falguni Pathak’s Sawan Mein, one woman has stood out in the most unexpected and beautiful way. While many have been recreating the scene with props like
1 days ago
Cristiano Ronaldo set to recover in time for FIFA World Cup as Portugal head coach gives major injury update Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST Written by Neelav Chakravarti Share via Copy link Cristiano Ronaldo is currently recovering from an injury
1 days ago
A jury in the federal court in San Francisco has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors during the period leading up to his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022. According to the jury, Musk deliberately pushed down the company’s stock price in the months before completing the deal
1 days ago
Joshua Jefferson injury update: Iowa State star could play vs Kentucky, X-ray results revealed Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 4:31 AM IST By Yash Nitish Bajaj Share via Copy link Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) shoots a layup against Tennessee State Tigers forwards Antoine Lorick III
1 days ago
Tributes have been pouring in from around the world to US martial artist and Hollywood action star Chuck Norris, who died aged 86. "He may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love," his daughter Danilee Norris said. Swedish actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren - who starred
1 days ago
Monday's air strike on Kabul resulted in the highest number of casualties seen since hostilities began again in February. Within hours of explosions ringing across the capital, both sides were posting on social media - a war of words as people searched for answers
1 days ago
Raymond Group Chairman Gautam Hari Singhania has been injured in a speedboat accident in the Maldives. He was among tourists when the boat capsized. Singhania has been rescued and is recovering in Mumbai. Search operations are underway for two other Indian men who are missing
1 days ago
In 2022, as the number of Covid-19 cases began falling and travel opened up again, 30-year-old Irshit Ali’s life changed. There was a sudden surge of tourists in his hometown of Ladakh, where he worked ferrying tourists in his van. This was good for business.In 2022
1 days ago
Another twist in Formula 1’s ever-shifting management landscape, and this one comes with immediate impact. Jonathan Wheatley has stepped down from his role with Audi with immediate effect, just a year after joining the project. And the timing? Hardly coincidental
1 days ago
Two Congress leaders, B.S. Anoop and R.S. Arun Raj, joined the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, expressing dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership. Both leaders, denied tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections, are expected to contest from Chirayinkeezhu and Chadayamangalam respectively
1 days ago
Tarot Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Here's your tarot message based on your zodiac signThis article will dive into the daily tarot reading for each zodiac sign for March 21, 2026, with our expert's predictions. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:03 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link The
1 days ago
Washington, Mar 21 (PTI) The United States has announced the temporary lifting of sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea in an effort to cool down soaring global crude prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the temporary measure will make available 140 million barrels of
1 days ago
The Supreme Court has permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to cut more than 45,000 mangroves. This is for the proposed Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project in north Mumbai. The project aims to significantly reduce travel time and distance
1 days ago
Prakash Raj reacts to tweet talking about Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, Jr NTR, and Mahesh Babu praising Dhurandhar 2Prakash Raj also shared a video of the song Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar and wrote that he is very far from Dhurandhar 2. Check his posts here. Mar 21, 2026
1 days ago
Techie earning $85,000 in Canada considers moving to India for ₹26 LPA FAANG job, internet reactsIn a Reddit post, the techie shared that though the Canadian salary looks good on paper, the reality is very different. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:45 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A
1 days ago
Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission from Thomas Tuchel's largest England squad is the latest blow to his stop-start international career and casts huge doubt on his hopes of playing at the World Cup. Head coach Tuchel said on Friday he had "not yet" spoken to the 27-year-old about his exclusion
1 days ago
Congress leadership has brought peace to Kerala's party affairs. K Sudhakaran will lead the campaign in Kannur. Adoor Prakash has withdrawn his assembly seat claim. The party is optimistic about the upcoming April 9 election. Rahul Gandhi expressed commitment to Kerala's future
1 days ago
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Friday pushed back strongly against US President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran was preparing to attack American forces, warning of a forceful response if Iran’s infrastructure is hit. “We are men and women of principles
1 days ago
Fans are pouring into the historic heart of South Korea's capital for what may well be the year's biggest event: the return of the world's most successful band in recent years, BTS. Some 260,000 people are expected to turn up on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, where the seven K-pop stars - RM, Jin
1 days ago
Elon Musk was misleading in his public statements during a crucial period of his 2022 Twitter takeover, a jury has found. After two days of deliberations, a jury in San Francisco federal court decided in a unanimous verdict against the tech titan
1 days ago
Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah instantly agreed to Kapoor & Sons, says film's director: After being rejected by actors…Shakun Batra was asked about taking creative risks with Kapoor & Sons. He said that at that time, honestly, he didn't care. Mar 21, 2026
1 days ago
Major banks — HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bandhan Bank have announced rule changes related to ATM withdrawals from 1 April 2026. New Delhi: From 1 April 2026 several banks will change rules related to ATM cash withdrawal limits
1 days ago
The BJP in Assam is bringing in leaders from rival parties like AGP and Congress. Many new candidates are former Congress members. This has upset long-time BJP workers. Himanta Biswa Sarma's influence is seen in candidate selection. Senior leaders are addressing concerns from disgruntled party
1 days ago
Bengaluru founder expresses frustration over AI-generated job applications: ‘Too much noise, quality people are less’Raj Vikramaditya, a Bengaluru-based founder of takeUforward, shared his concerns in a post on X. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:47 AM IST By Sakshi Sah Share via Copy link Hiring
1 days ago
