India to start rare earth magnet production by year-end with ₹7,300 crore plan

India to start rare earth magnet production by year-end with ₹7,300 crore plan


With the world’s third-largest rare earth reserves, India seeks to scale production as demand for magnets in EVs, defence and renewable energy is projected to double by 2030.

India aims to start producing rare earth permanent magnets by the end of the year in partnership with the private sector, the federal mining minister said on Thursday, as the country seeks to reduce imports of critical industrial inputs.

New Delhi approved a ₹7,300 crore ($802 million) rare earth permanent magnets manufacturing programme in November. The magnets are used in industries ranging from electric vehicles and aerospace to defence and renewable energy.

The mining ministry and a state-run body have developed the technology to produce permanent magnets, with plans to set up four critical mineral processing plants across four states, minister G. Kishan Reddy said at an event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.

FOUR PLANT PLAN

India has the world’s third-largest rare earth reserves at 6.9 million tonnes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, but mines only a fraction due to limited private investment.

The country’s consumption of rare earth permanent magnets is expected to double by 2030, yet demand is currently met largely through imports.

IMPORT DEPENDENCE

China, which controls about 90% of processing of such magnets, restricted shipments last year, prompting automobile companies to scramble for supplies.

Published on February 19, 2026



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Stock Market Live Feb 19: Sensex bleeds 1400 points; Nifty below  25,450; Nifty realty, media and auto indices drag

Stock Market Live Feb 19: Sensex bleeds 1400 points; Nifty below 25,450; Nifty realty, media and auto indices drag


CLSA on India Telecoms 

5G FWA and UBR FWA acceleration is underway.

Reliance Jio is the largest player in both 5G FWA and UBR FWA, showing 2.6× acceleration in the last 12 months.

Jio’s 5G FWA + UBR FWA subscribers have reached 11.5 million.

Bharti Airtel’s 5G FWA subscribers stand at 3 million and the company is testing UBR FWA.

Subscribed homes have reached 25 million, which is 90% ahead of Bharti’s 13 million.

The home broadband market has potential to double to 100–130 million in the medium term.

Post-5G mobile phase, Jio and Bharti are well positioned to dominate India’s home opportunity.

Bundled home broadband + pay TV subscribers ramp-up could create a US$10–14 billion annual revenue opportunity.

This comes on top of India mobile revenue growing ~30% to US$42 billion by FY28 (CL).

Citi on India Autos & Auto Parts (3Q FY26 Review) 

3Q results came in slightly ahead; domestic demand remained resilient post-festive season.

FY27 volume outlook: mid-single-digit growth for passenger vehicles, high-single-digit growth for two-wheelers.

Exports remain strong in LatAm, Asia, and Africa; weakness continues in China and Europe.

Commodity cost pressure from aluminium, copper, and nickel; OEMs are cautious on price increases, leading to margin compression in 3Q.

Capacity expansion theme remains strong with Maruti, Hyundai, M&M, and Eicher being active.

Top picks: Maruti > M&M > Hyundai

CITI on Navin Fluorine

Sell, TP Rs 5550

Analyst meet takeaways

R32 pricing – Mgmt. doesn’t see any major downside risk to R32 pricing, despite the significant capacity additions owing to healthy longer-term demand profile.

HFOs – NFIL currently has 20% spare capacity for HFO sales to Honeywell (Solstice Advanced Materials). Mgmt is in discussions with Honeywell to expand here. However, NFIL is currently not looking at debottlenecking/expansion (for now).

Chemours Contract – NFIL’s two phase immersion cooling fluid (Opteon – Chemours’ proprietary product) plant at Dahej is expected to be commissioned by 1QFY27. This is an initial investment (capex of $14m) with mgmt. to evaluate a larger capex (potentially 10x of initial investment) once demand for coolant picks up as AI usage gains traction.

AHF – NFIL has commissioned 40ktpa AHF capacity in Feb’26. This will take NFIL’s total AHF capacity to 60ktpa. Mgmt expects to sell 6-7kt AHF externally in FY27 but would ultimately use this for captive consumption.

Agchem – The Rs5.4bn multipurpose plant (commissioned in Dec’24) is ramping up with ~50% dedicated capacity utilized this year. NFIL is working to utilize the balance ~50% capacity in FY27.

CDMO – Mgmt. expects further growth in Fermion contract (from the current run rate). NFIL continues to work on 10-15 molecules across stages. NFIL’s portfolio was initially comprised predominantly of early stage molecules; this has shifted towards a higher mix of mid-late stage molecules.

Kotak Inst Eqt on Navin Fluorine

Sell, TP Rs 4590

Analyst meet takeaways

Management provided a firmly bullish outlook, guiding to a 20-25% CAGR in revenues through FY2030 along with likely sustenance of EBITDA margins around currently guided levels of 30%. Remaining cautious on valuations & believe fully factor in growth guidance.

CLSA on Dixon Tech

Downgrade to Hold from O-P, TP cut to Rs 12100 from Rs 15800

Memory industry is entering a super cycle, driven by AI’s appetite for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DDR5, while mainstream storage faces tightening supply and rising costs.

India’s dependence on imports leaves it exposed to this global squeeze, especially as memory manufacturers prioritise high-margin AI-grade memory.

Memory prices have already surged, with DDR5/DDR4 contract rates up 119%/63% MoM in January and NAND contract prices rising 37-67%

Believe smartphone volumes are at risk, as rising memory costs could inflate ASPs by 10-25%, disproportionately impacting the lower-end consumer segment.

Given risks to low-end smartphone volumes and concerns around medium-term growth visibility

Jefferies on Alkem Labs

Buy, TP Rs 6550

Analyst day takeaways

Discussed their Medtech strategy and recent Occlutech acq.

Taking the inorganic route, Alkem has built division over two years & focused on ortho and now cardiac segments.

Alkem now plans to consolidate these acq. & scale organically.

Though nascent at present, over next 5y mgt. envisions Medtech sales of Rs 10b & 20-25% EBITDA margins.

MOSL on Tata Steel

Buy, TP Rs 240

Remain constructive on back of a strong domestic demand outlook, safeguard duty-led price support, ongoing capacity expansions & a gradual turnaround in EU business

Capacity expansion to drive earnings amid demand upswing

Steel prices to recover, backed by safeguard duty + CABM + China’s supply discipline

Breakeven for European operations – TSUK breakeven on track; TSN cost restructuring to drive profitability

STK trading at 7.7x EV/EBITDA and 2.3x FY27E P/B.

MOSL on JK Cement

Buy, TP Rs 6780

Strong demand tailwinds drive higher utilizations in North & Central

Panna phase-2 commissioned on time; Jaisalmer expansion in full swing

Expect JKCE to report robust volume growth (13% CAGR over FY26-28), driven by capacity expansions

Est. consolidated revenue/EBITDA/PAT CAGR at 13%/17%/19% over FY26-28, & EBITDA/t at Rs 1,107/Rs 1,140 in FY27/FY28

Nuvama on Hitachi Energy

Buy, TP Raised to Rs 26400

Management meet Highlights

i) T&D capex cycle likely to remain structurally strong well beyond FY32 with healthy domestic/export demand visibility for next 5–6Y.

ii) Current EBITDA margin is sustainable with upside potential from operating leverage/localisation benefits over FY27–28.

iii) Other drivers: Data centres (~15% wallet share), Railways (expected over 15–18M) & growing HVDC pipeline

Improved conviction on – Margin upside potential & another HVDC order optionality over next 12–18M can lead to further EPS accretion from FY29

CITI on LIC Hsg

Buy, TP Rs 730

LICHF screens as least expensive & conspicuously overlooked HFC following pronounced underperformance across 3/6/12 months (-15%/-20%/-30%), compressing valuations to 0.6x FY27E P/B and 5x FY27E P/E

Current pricing embeds conservative 11.5% RoE/4% loan growth medium-to-long-term assumptions, creating compelling entry valuation for patient capital

Mgmt is actively recalibrating strategy – enhancing distribution, elevating agent productivity, scaling direct/lead generation, exploring co-lending, and expanding capacity in selfemployed/affordable segments.

Risk-reward looks compelling –see limited downside

CLSA on Coforge

High Conviction O-P, TP Rs 2426

Guidance for 2026 by Sabre seems in line with street expectations

Sabre guided for mid-single digit revenue growth in FY26 with negative free cash flow implying one needs to closely track its FCF generation to pay off a significant amount of debt.

Sabre, in their earnings call, highlighted it is seeing significant AI infusion in its product platform

Coforge is working closely with leadership team of Sabre, not only at CIO, CTO & CMO level but also at CFO, CEO & board level. This allows it have insights into Sabre’s business & its future steps.

Coforge had signed a large US$1.56bn deal over a 13-year period with Sabre in March 2025.

GS on Eicher Motors

Buy, TP Raised to Rs 9,200 from Rs8,600

Post GST cuts in Sept 2025 on sub 350cc motorcycles, Eicher’s Hunter 350 cc has steadily re-rated to a 20k per month volume run rate in domestic market (vs 15k per month 12 months ago)

Expect part of announced capacity acceleration over next 24 months to support more volume growth on Hunter 350 cc (especially heading into a pay commission phase in FY28 and beyond)

Raise FY26E to FY28E EPS estimates by upto 3%.

JPM Cement Sector

Believe capacity growth (even though somewhat delayed) will cap industry utilizations over the next three years.

Each of large caps guides to:

a) cost reductions and

b) market-share gains. In the end, the consensus expected EBITDA/MT expansion will rely more on cement price growth

There is an inherent contradiction then – bottom-up aspirations of market-share gains do not support top-down pricing discipline outcomes

Ultratech – OW , TP Rs 15000; execution of scale & pricing should continue to help it differentiate itself over smaller competitors

Dalmia Bharat – Upgrade to Neutral, TP Rs 2215; Cos numbers appear reasonable to us so it may not see major cuts.

Morgan Stanley bottom up Idea post Q3FY26

Overweight Ideas

Polycab, Lenskart, Shriram Finance, Grasim, Tata Steel, IOCL, & Eternal

Underweight ideas

Dixon, Berger, SBI Cards, Shree Cement, SAIL, & SRF

Jefferies top ideas 

Showing strong earnings improvement in FY27 ve FY26

Ambuja, AU bank, Axis, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Forge, Chola

Eternal, Godrej Prop., Hindustan Zinc, JSW Energy, Mankind,

Samvardhana Motherson, Sona BLW, Star Health & Voltas

Goldman Sachs on MakeMyTrip

Management views AI-related concerns as overdone, given the fragmented supplier base, payment complexity, and post-sales service requirements.

The hotel volume–revenue disconnect observed in 3Q FY26 is considered temporary rather than structural.

There is no intention to cap margins at 1.8–2.0% of GBV.

The company reiterated its intention to list in India, although no firm timeline was provided.

Buy rating maintained (on conviction list).

Elara on Safari Industries

Maintains Buy rating with a raised target price of ₹3,248 (previously ₹3,111).

The 20-year exclusive licensing deal for Carlton is expected to accelerate premiumisation with low capital risk.

Expects revenue / EBITDA / PAT CAGR of 17.4% / 24.8% / 27.0% over FY25–28E.

Estimates raised by 3.0% / 5.3% for FY27E / FY28E.

Valuation based on 35× FY28E EV/EBITDA.

Elara on VIP Industries

Rating downgraded to Accumulate from Buy; target price maintained at ₹430.

Q3 FY26 performance was weak due to elevated inventory provisioning and heavy discounting.

Gross margin impacted by the second consecutive quarter of inventory write-offs.

Revenue estimates reduced by 3.6% / 2.2% / 1.8% for FY26E / FY27E / FY28E.

EBITDA margin expected to recover to 10.2% by FY28E.

Goldman Sachs on KPIT Technologies

Target price cut to ₹940 (from ₹1,050).

EPS estimates reduced by approximately 3–5% across FY26E–FY28E.

Near-term disruption anticipated from the shift to a solutions-based business model.

Valuation multiple for the M&A component reduced to 34× (from 39×).

Jefferies on India Equity Strategy 

Increased confidence in EPS growth improvement.

Bottom-up forecast raises FY27 MSCI India EPS growth by +5 percentage points to 15%.

Improved nominal GDP growth supported by higher inflation, aiding revenues and earnings.

Potential normal or deficit monsoon could support higher growth across sectors.

Banks’ NIMs appear to have bottomed out, supporting the largest MSCI India sector.

Credit growth has improved to 13% (vs 11% in Mar-25) and is expected to remain around 13% over FY26–28.

Citi on Aadhaar Housing Finance 

Medium-term AUM trajectory of 20–22% with potential to cross ₹500 billion+ milestone.

Spreads expected to remain anchored above 5.6% through the medium term.

Credit cost guidance of 25–27 bps.

Annual improvement of 40–50 bps in C/I ratio and 6–8 bps in cost-to-assets.

Trades at 2.3× FY26E book with >4.4% / 16% RoA / RoE.

Recommendation: Buy | Target: ₹650



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AI Summit 2026: Democratise AI so humans don’t become just data points: PM Modi

AI Summit 2026: Democratise AI so humans don’t become just data points: PM Modi


Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the gathering during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, in New Delhi.
| Photo Credit:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it is important to democratise artificial intelligence (AI) so that humans don’t become just a data point or limited to raw material only.

“We need to democratise AI. We need to make it a means for exclusion and empowerment, especially in the Global South…we also need to provide an open sky for AI and keep command in our hands just like GPS that suggests our route, but we take the final call on which direction we will go,” Modi said here at the inaugural session of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Modi remarked that India’s vision for AI is clearly reflected in the theme of the summit — Welfare for all, Happiness of all and emphasised that this is the benchmark for India.

Regarding jobs, the PM noted that the future of work in AI is not pre-defined, but will depend on collective decisions and actions. The future of work is a new opportunity, marking an era where humans and intelligent systems co-create, co-work, and co-evolve. He underlined that AI will make work smarter, more efficient, and more impactful, enabling better design, faster building, and improved decision-making.

“AI will also open higher-value, creative, and meaningful roles for more people, creating opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and new industries. We have to make skilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning a mass movement,” he said.

Modi also highlighted that transparency is the greatest safeguard. He said that while some countries and companies consider AI a strategic asset to be developed confidentially, India believes AI will benefit the world, only when it is shared. He emphasised on open code and shared development which will allow millions of young minds to make AI better and safer. He called for a collective resolve to develop AI as a global common good.

He also noted that there was an urgent need for global standards because of deepfakes and fabricated content that are destabilising open societies.

“Just like we see nutrition labels on food, digital content too must carry authenticity labels so people can distinguish between real and AI-generated material. There is a growing need for watermarking and clear source standards as AI increasingly generates text, images, and videos, to build trust into technology from the start,” he mentioned.

Emphasising the importance of child safety, the Prime Minister also stated that just as school syllabi are curated, the AI space must also be child-safe and family-guided. He remarked that today there are two kinds of people—those who see fear in AI and those who see fortune.

He asserted that India sees fortune and future in AI, backed by talent, energy capacity, and policy clarity. Mentioning that three Indian companies have launched their AI models and apps during the Summit, he said these models reflect the talent of India’s youth and showcase the depth and diversity of solutions that India is contributing to the global AI landscape.

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Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai 

Published on February 19, 2026



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NCC shares hit 52-week low as NHAI's 2 years tender ban

NCC shares hit 52-week low as NHAI's 2 years tender ban


The stock is down nearly 21.3 per cent over the past year and about 8 per cent year-to-date 
| Photo Credit:
istock.com

Shares of NCC Limited touched a fresh 52-week low on Thursday morning after the infrastructure company disclosed that it and a subsidiary have been barred from bidding on National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) tenders for two years.

The stock fell to ₹135.00 in early trade on the NSE, its lowest point in the past year, before recovering partially to ₹149.20, down 0.37 per cent from the previous close of ₹149.76, as of around 10.09 am. Trading volume was heavy, with over 1.53 crore shares changing hands, generating a traded value of ₹224.47 crore. Buy orders accounted for 62.32 per cent of total quantity traded, suggesting some dip-buying interest at lower levels.

The selloff follows NCC’s stock exchange disclosure on Wednesday, February 18, that it and its step-down subsidiary O B Infrastructure Limited (OBIL) had received a debarment order from NHAI effective February 17, 2026. Under the order, both entities are barred from participating in any NHAI tender, bid, or RFP, whether as concessionaire, contractor, EPC contractor, or consortium member, for a period of two years.

NCC said the debarment relates to a highway project in Uttar Pradesh executed by OBIL under a concession agreement dating back to 2006. The company contends the project faced delays due to NHAI’s own lapses, and OBIL had won a favourable arbitration award in November 2024. That award is currently being challenged by NHAI before the Delhi High Court.

The company maintained there is no impact on its existing order book or ongoing projects, and said it will challenge the debarment order through appropriate legal channels.

The stock is down nearly 21.3 per cent over the past year and about 8 per cent year-to-date. Its 52-week high stands at ₹242.15, hit in June 2025. NCC is part of the Nifty Smallcap 100 index, with a total market capitalisation of approximately ₹9,362 crore.

Published on February 19, 2026



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Crude oil futures rise on fears of imminent US-Iran clash

Crude oil futures rise on fears of imminent US-Iran clash


Crude oil futures traded higher on Thursday morning as markets feared that the US may attack Iran in the coming days.

At 9.59 am on Thursday, April Brent oil futures were at $70.63, up by 0.40 per cent, and April crude oil futures on WTI (West Texas Intermediate) were at $65.38, up by 0.51 per cent. February crude oil futures were trading at ₹5956 on Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹5903, up by 0.90 per cent, and March futures were trading at ₹5971 against the previous close of ₹5913, up by 0.98 per cent.

Iran has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) about its plans to launch rockets across its south on Thursday from 330 GMT to 1330 GMT. This follows navy drills by Iran earlier this week in the Hormuz Strait. Reports also said that Iran plans to conduct a joint naval exercise with Russia on Thursday.

It is to be noted that the US has been preparing for a military action in Iran, and it has already deployed aircraft carriers in West Asia region.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said that the US is weighing options on whether to continue diplomatic talks with Iran or pursue other options.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said: “…Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous.”

March natural gas futures were trading at ₹269.70 on MCX during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹263.80, up by 2.24 per cent.

On the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), March cottonseed oilcake contracts were trading at ₹3,275 in the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹3,258, up by 0.52 per cent.

February guargum futures were trading at ₹9,451 on NCDEX in the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹9,705, down by 2.62 per cent.

Published on February 19, 2026



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