India's coal imports rise 1.5% to 76.4 MT in Q1FY26 despite domestic push

In June, India imported 14.85 MT of non-coking coal, up from 14.19 MT in June last year, while coking coal imports rose to 5.78 MT from 5.45 MT in June 2024

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The country's coal import rose 1.5 per cent to 76.40 million tonnes in the April-June period of the current fiscal, compared to 75.26 MT in the year-ago period, even as the government pushes to ramp up domestic production of the fossil fuel.

The country's coal import in June also increased to 23.91 million tonnes (MT) over 22.97 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal, according to mjunction Services Ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform and a joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL.

During April-June, non-coking coal imports were at 49.08 MT, almost flat compared to 49.12 MT imported during the same period in the previous fiscal. Coking coal import was at 16.37 MT during April-June 2025, up against 15.45 MT recorded for April-June 2024.

Of the total imports in June, non-coking coal imports stood at 14.85 MT, against 14.19 MT imported in June last year. Coking coal import stood at 5.78 MT, against 5.45 MT imported in June 2024.

State-owned CIL's coal production dropped by 8.5 per cent to 57.8 million tonnes in June from 63.1 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal.

The company, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production, however, did not give a reason for the decline in coal production.

According to industry analysts, coal production usually faces hindrances during the monsoon season. As a result, the output from mines is lower, which consequently affects the dispatch to power plants.

Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy had earlier said that the country will not face any shortage of coal in the upcoming monsoon season, as the government is well prepared to meet the demand across various sectors, including the power sector.

The coal ministry had earlier said that it remains committed to achieving sustainable growth, improving coal availability, and reducing dependence on imports.

With the positive momentum, the coal sector continues to play a pivotal role in powering India's growth story.