Government Of India Approves INR 72.8 Billion Scheme For Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Production

Rare Earth Permanent Magnet

The Union Cabinet, Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets with a financial outlay of INR 72.8 billion.

The initiative aims to establish 6,000 Metric Tonnes per Annum (MTPA) of integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) manufacturing in India. The government states this will enhance self-reliance and position India as a key player in the global REPM market.

REPMs are types of permanent magnets vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics, aerospace and defence applications. India’s demand for REPMs is met primarily through imports, but consumption is expected to double by 2030 from 2025.

The scheme will support the creation of integrated REPM facilities, covering the conversion of rare earth oxides to metals, metals to alloys and alloys to finished REPMs. This step supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and India's Net Zero 2070 commitment.

The total financial outlay of INR 72.8 billion consists of INR 64.5 billion towards sales-linked Incentives on REPM for five years. While the remainder INR 7.5 billion towards capital outlay for setting up 6,000 MTPA of manufacturing facilities.

The total capacity will be allocated to five beneficiaries through a global competitive bidding process, with each receiving up to 1,200 MTPA of capacity.

The scheme duration is seven years from the award date, including a two-year gestation period for setting up the integrated facility and five years for incentive disbursement.

The government states this initiative is a step towards strengthening the domestic REPM manufacturing ecosystem and enhancing competitiveness in markets globally.

Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM, “The Indian automobile industry welcomes the Government of India’s newly announced scheme to promote the domestic manufacturing of Rare Earth permanent magnets, with an allocated outlay of INR 72.8 billion. This initiative is a significant step toward building a resilient and stable supply chain, particularly for components and sub-assemblies essential for the production of electrified vehicles.  
The scheme is expected to accelerate adoption of clean mobility solutions and support India’s broader sustainability goals. By strengthening indigenous manufacturing capabilities, it will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and lowering dependence on crude oil imports, further enhancing the nation’s energy security.”

Vikrampati Singhania, President, ACMA, “ACMA wholeheartedly welcomes the Cabinet’s approval of the REPM Manufacturing Scheme. This is a strategic and forward-looking intervention that addresses one of the most critical gaps in the EV and advanced mobility ecosystem. Rare Earth Permanent Magnets are foundational to electric motors and high-efficiency systems, and the establishment of a domestic, integrated manufacturing base will significantly strengthen India’s technological competitiveness. This initiative will not only reduce import dependence but also provide long-term resilience to the automotive supply chain, encourage investments in advanced materials, and position India strongly in global value chains for EVs and clean energy. We commend the Government’s vision and remain fully committed to supporting the industry in leveraging this opportunity for innovation, value creation, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Stephane Deblaise, CEO, Renault Group India, “The Government’s decision of investing INR 72.8 billion for India’s first integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet manufacturing scheme is a pivotal step in strengthening the nation’s self-reliance aspirations. This initiative reflects India’s strategic intent to strengthen its rare-earth refining capabilities and accelerate high-value manufacturing.  For the automobile sector, localizing rare earth magnets will boost growth for both auto OEMs and component manufacturers, support clean energy powertrains, reduce import dependence, deepen the domestic value chain and enhance long-term competitiveness. We welcome this vision and look forward to contributing to a robust, future-ready mobility landscape that supports India’s sustainable growth and its ambition to become a global automotive hub.”  

Jaideep Wadhwa, Director, Sterling Tools, "The Government scheme to invest nearly INR 75 billion in Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet production is a very timely and welcome move.  This, along with the plans for semiconductor and cell manufacturing, reaffirms the country’s commitments to electrification. However, this one initiative, aimed at adding 6,000-tonne capacity over seven years, will not be a panacea for all REM availability issues. India must also promote technologies to reduce the overall dependence on rare earth magnets. A holistic solution must include development of magnet free motor technologies. Fortunately, great progress has been made in magnet free technologies in recent years. Indian OEs and Tier 1s need to work together to commercialise these technologies at the earliest."

LG Innotek To Supply Camera Modules For Zoox Robotaxi Fleet

Zoox RoboTaxi

LG Innotek has expanded its partnership with Zoox to supply camera modules for the serial production of its purpose-built robotaxis. The agreement marks an extension of the multi-year relationship between the two companies as Zoox scales up its autonomous vehicle manufacturing.

It was last year, Zoox opened a serial production facility in Hayward, California, to manufacture its robotaxis and launched a ride-hailing service in Las Vegas.

As per the agreement, LG Innotek will supply high-resolution automotive cameras as part of the robotaxi's sensor suite, which provides 360-degree coverage through overlapping fields of view.

The camera modules feature five fields of view depending on their mounting positions across the vehicle. Built with optical design technology adapted from mobile camera modules, the units are waterproofed to operate under varied environmental conditions. The components are currently being fitted to Zoox robotaxis as part of the vehicle's core perception hardware system.

Gabriel India Partners South Korea’s HL Klemove For Autonomous Driving Tech

Gabriel India

Gabriel India, the listed flagship company of Anand Group, has entered into a joint venture with South Korea-based HL Klemove to acquire a 30 percent minus one share stake in HL Klemove India for USD 98.44 million (INR 9.35 billion).

The joint venture will focus on the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of autonomous driving components, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and automotive electronics.

The product portfolio includes radar, front cameras, LiDAR, automated driving and parking control units with embedded ADAS software, brake electronic control units, steering electronic control units, chassis control units and torque sensors.

Jaisal Singh, Vice-Chairman, Anand Group, said, “As a key growth engine of the Anand Group, Gabriel India is focused on building scale, enhancing competitiveness, and broadening its presence across high-growth automotive segments. Our latest joint venture with HL Klemove represents a strategic step forward in this endeavour.”

Anjali Singh, Executive Chairperson of Anand Group and Gabriel India, said, “Bolstering our position across critical automotive systems while expanding our participation in future-oriented mobility and automotive technology segments, this new JV for autonomous driving and automotive electronics marks an important inflection point, enabling Gabriel India to further diversify its portfolio and strengthen its participation in emerging mobility segments.”

Mahendra K Goyal, Group CEO, Anand and Managing Director of Gabriel India, said, “Beyond unlocking new opportunities for growth, this collaboration will foster deeper OEM engagement, expand our participation in future mobility solutions and create enduring value for all stakeholders.”

The investment aligns with Gabriel India’s strategy to expand into automotive sectors, following previous joint ventures in sunroofs, lubricants, electric vehicle fluids and precision fasteners.

CarYaar Taps Tech Veteran Sahaib Singh To Drive Digital Overhaul Of India’s Car Servicing Sector

CarYaar Taps Tech Veteran Sahaib Singh To Drive Digital Overhaul Of India’s Car Servicing Sector

CarYaar Auto Private Limited, a DPIIT-recognised technology startup, has announced the appointment of Sahaib Singh as its new Co-Founder and Head of Technology. The company, which operates within India’s fragmented car servicing ecosystem, is focused on integrating transparency and digital trust into the automotive aftermarket. Singh’s arrival marks a pivotal moment for the firm as it works to expand its technological infrastructure and formalize a sector traditionally characterised by informal practices.

Bringing over a decade of experience as a full-stack technologist across mobility, freight and artificial intelligence platforms, Singh will now spearhead the company’s technology strategy and product development. His leadership comes at a critical juncture as CarYaar advances its integrated digital platform, which aims to seamlessly connect car owners, workshops and other stakeholders within the automotive service network. The company is prioritising practical solutions over complex enterprise systems, developing a mobile-first, offline-capable and WhatsApp-native interface to ensure accessibility for multi-brand workshops and customers alike.

Under Singh’s technical direction, the platform is being tailored to serve three distinct user groups with specific operational tools. Workshops are equipped with digital job cards, photo-based inspections, parts tracking and billing systems, while service advisors and managers receive web-based applications for estimate creation and analytics. For car owners, the service enables booking, real-time job tracking and digital payments through WhatsApp, eliminating the need for a separate application. The overarching goal is to use technology not merely to digitise existing processes but to fundamentally enhance the relationship between vehicle owners and service providers.

CarYaar’s model emphasises transparency through features such as real-time photo documentation, pre-approved estimates and digital billing, offering customers clear visibility into their vehicle’s service journey. Currently operating with a network of certified empanelled workshops in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the startup is actively building a broader technology-enabled ecosystem that includes multi-brand services, roadside assistance and spares management. This strategic expansion reinforces the company’s commitment to developing simple, accessible and genuinely useful technology for the Indian workshop environment.

Joel Daniel D’Souza, Co-Founder & Director, CarYaar Auto Private Limited, said, “Sahaib brings a strong combination of technology depth and experience across mobility and emerging technology platforms. As we scale CarYaar, technology will be central to how we connect customers and workshops, create transparency and bring greater efficiency to the entire ecosystem. His leadership will be critical as we move from building the foundation to scaling the platform.”

Tata Communications And Tata Motors Partner For Sierra.ev Connectivity

Tata Sierra.ev

Tata Communications and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles have entered into a collaboration to equip the Sierra.ev with embedded 5G cellular connectivity, targeting the deployment of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) in India.

As per the understanding, the Tata Communications MOVE Connected Vehicle Platform will integrate into the car's software architecture, designated as N.IO. The system supports artificial intelligence applications, content streaming, over-the-air software updates, optional subscription packages and vehicle functions including emergency calls, remote assistance and real-time diagnostics.

Vivek Manglik, Executive Vice-President of Interaction Fabric at Tata Communications, said, “Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has consistently set benchmarks for innovation in the automotive industry, and we are excited to collaborate on the launch of the Sierra.ev. As vehicles evolve into intelligent ecosystems that enable a growing range of services and applications, the underlying digital fabric will be central to fostering innovation and scaling new capabilities. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to shaping a smarter mobility experience that will securely enhance convenience and personalisation.”

Sven Patuschka, CTO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “As vehicles become increasingly software-defined, highly intuitive digital connectivity and services will play a central role in shaping customer experiences. The Sierra.ev marks an important step in this evolution, and our collaboration with Tata Communications provides the robust digital backbone required to deliver seamless connectivity, continuous innovation, and enhanced in-vehicle experiences. Together, we are enabling technologies that allow vehicles to adapt, improve, and deliver greater value throughout their lifecycle.”