India inaugurates rare earth magnet pilot plant

Hyderabad: India strengthened its push for self-reliance in critical technologies with the inauguration of a pilot plant for manufacturing Nd-Fe-B (Neodymium-Iron-Boron) rare Earth permanent magnets at International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. 

The pilot-plant was inaugurated by Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, with Dr. R. Vijay, Director, ARCI in the august presence of Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Former Secretary DST and Chairman, Governing Council, ARCI; Dr. S. K. Jha, Former CMD, MIDHANI, Member-Technical Review Committee; Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), several delegates with major participation from industries, national institutes and other stakeholders. Developed under the aegis of the DST, the plant offers an end-to-end ecosystem - from alloy production to finished magnets.

These high-performance magnets are crucial for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and advanced electronics. Officials said the initiative will reduce India’s dependence on imports and boost its position in the global rare Earth supply chain.

Calling it a step toward “strategic autonomy”, Karandikar stressed the importance of indigenous innovation in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The pilot plant will also serve as a platform for industry collaboration, technology validation, and scaling up domestic manufacturing.