GK One Liners: October 11, 2025

Ferrite vs. Rare-Earth Magnets in EV Motors Context: GARC (Global Automotive Research Centre), Tamil Nadu certified Ola’s ferrite motor to AIS 041, the Indian safety/performance standard for traction motors.
Why ferrite: Ferrite magnets are iron-oxide-based and avoid rare-earths such as neodymium & praseodymium, reducing import dependence and price volatility.
Impact: Rare-earth-free designs cut strategic risk while sustaining torque with careful motor geometry and control algorithms—useful for India’s two-wheeler EV scale-up.

IUCN Red List — Why It Matters IUCN: The International Union for Conservation of Nature compiles the authoritative global inventory of species’ extinction risk, using standardized criteria (population trend, range, threats).
India’s roadmap: By mirroring IUCN methods for 2025–2030, India seeks robust, comparable assessments across taxa and regions.
Outcome: Better risk categories guide protected-area planning, funding, and recovery plans, enabling measurable biodiversity gains by 2030.

SAKSHAM — A Layered Counter-Drone Shield Partnership: The Army worked with BEL to integrate sensors, jammers, and AI-driven analytics into a grid that detects, classifies, and neutralizes hostile unmanned aerial systems.
Why now: Low-cost drones enable surveillance and payload delivery; a networked grid counters swarms and spoofing.
Big picture: Indigenous counter-UAS strengthens border security and aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat, reducing dependence on imported systems.