India exported 0.78 MT coal to neighbouring countries in Apr-Nov: Govt

India's coal export to neighbouring countries was 0.78 Million Tonnes (MT) in the April-November period of the ongoing fiscal, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

Among the neighbouring countries, India exports coal to Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Coal export by the country during the last three years... is 2.945 MT in 2020-21, 1.316 MT in 2021-22, 1.166 MT in 2022-23 and 0.78 MT in 2023-24 (up to November)."

Most of the coal produced in the country is consumed domestically. The major coal consuming sectors in the country are power, steel, cement, sponge-iron, and fertiliser.

As the primary source of commercial energy in India, coal accounts for half of our energy consumption and remains the dominant fuel for power generation due to its reliability compared to other renewable energy sources.