Nintendo’s Switch 2 videogame machine uses a rare-earth magnet to attach its hand-held controllers to the main console, according to a teardown.

July 7 (Reuters) - China's export restrictions on rare earths brought parts of the global auto supply chain to a halt and U.S. President Donald Trump to the negotiating table. But at home, they're a big headache for companies already struggling with a slow economy.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy acknowledged India’s past reliance on China for critical rare earth supplies.

A diplomatic breakthrough with China is the only short-term fix for easing the shortage of rare-earth magnets, a top executive at one of the largest auto components maker said, as the exports curbs by the East Asian nation chokes the production of electric vehicles.

A drastic increase in unregulated production of rare earth minerals in Myanmar is causing serious environmental concerns downriver in Thailand, as China's influence in the sector looms large.

Further bolstering domestic priorities, state-run IREL (India) Limited was directed in June 2025 to suspend a 13-year-old export agreement with Japan, redirecting rare earth supplies for local use to reduce reliance on Chinese imports. Also Read: '2026 Election Will Be Fought To Form A BJP-Led NDA Government': Amit Shah In Kerala

West Bengal’s Purulia and Assam’s Karbi Anglong districts move closer to rare earth mining as India seeks to cut dependence on China-dominated global supply chains.

The European Parliament condemned China on Thursday over its export restrictions on rare earths and insisted the European Union must reject any attempts by Beijing to use the restrictions to force concessions from the bloc.

China Northern Rare Earth and Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union — two of China's top rare earth producers — announced a price hike for third-quarter 2025 rare earth concentrates to CNY19,109 (approx.