Coal Import

Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday informed the Rajya Sabha that seven coal gasification projects will come up with an investment of Rs 64,000 crore in Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal and said this will help in reducing imports of energy products. Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, the minister highlighted that the Modi-government during the last 12 years has brought several reforms in the coal sector. Reddy said the coal blocks are being allotted through a transparent auction process, without any complaints and allegations. "There is no shortage of power in the country," he said, adding that 73-74 per cent of electricity is being generated through coal-based thermal plants. The minister said 80 per cent of coal production is being supplied to the power sector and the remaining to other sectors. Reddy highlighted that India is the second largest producer and consumer of coal. He said the country has the fifth largest coal reserve, which coul

The country's coal imports dropped 4.2 per cent to 213.10 million tonnes (MT) in the April-January period of the current fiscal year and with seaborne prices showing an uptick, imports are likely to remain subdued in the near term. The decline underscores the country's push towards self-reliance in coal production amid surging domestic output, even as global thermal coal prices firm up due to supply constraints and geopolitical tensions. According to data compiled by mjunction services ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform and joint venture of SAIL and Tata Steel, during April-January period of the current financial year, non-coking coal import was at 127.80 MT, lower than 141.18 MT imported during the same period last fiscal year. Coking coal import was at 50.39 MT during April-January 2025-26, up from 45.83 MT in the year-ago period. The country's import in January was down 22.1 per cent to 16.64 MT, over 21.37 MT imported in January last fiscal year. Of the total import in January, ..

Government has long sought to cut coal imports for the power sector, but those efforts have failed as power plants have been unable to burn lower-quality local coal

The shift in sourcing predates the India-US trade framework and reflects a structural diversification strategy, even as coking coal is designated a critical mineral to boost domestic output

Capex crosses target by 44%

The country's coal import surged by 13.54 per cent to 22.05 million tonnes (MT) in September, driven by increased demand of the dry fuel ahead of the festive season. Imports in September recorded a notable rise from 19.42 MT of coal imported during the same month of the previous financial year. Breaking down the numbers, non-coking coal import stood at 13.90 MT for the month, slightly higher than the 13.24 MT imported in September 2024. Coking coal imports, essential for the steel sector, rose to 4.50 MT compared to 3.39 MT a year ago. For the April-September 2025 period, non-coking coal imports declined to 86.06 MT from 91.92 MT in the corresponding period last year, while coking coal import climbed to 31.54 MT from 28.18 MT, according to data compiled by mjunction services. mjunction services is a B2B e-commerce platform and a joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL. Commenting on the trend, Vinaya Varma, MD & CEO, mjunction, said, "There was an increase in volumes as buyers

India's coal import dropped by marginal 0.6 per cent to 20.58 million tonne in the month of August, over the year-ago period. The country's coal import was 20.70 MT in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. In the April-August period of FY26, the coal import dropped to 118.07 MT from 121.18 MT a year ago, according to data compiled by B2B e-commerce solution provider mjunction services. Of the total imports in August, non-coking coal volume stood at 11.55 MT, against 13.04 MT a year ago. Coking coal import was at 4.82 MT against 4.53 MT imported in August last fiscal. During April-August FY26, non-coking coal import was at 72.17 MT, lower than 78.68 MT imported during the same period last fiscal. Coking coal import stood at 27.04 MT as against 24.79 MT a year ago. mjunction services CEO Vinaya Varma had earlier said that the coal demand before the festive period was subdued due to an extended monsoon, and the overall demand scenario is likely to remain sluggish in the ..

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

India, one of the key buyers of Russian thermal coal, increased its imports from Russia in May to the highest level in two years, business daily Kommersant reported on Friday. The Russian thermal coal deliveries to India rose by 52 per cent in May 2025 compared to April, reaching a two-year high of 1.3 million metric tons, reported Kommersant quoting a business review by the Russian Centre for Price Indices (CCI). Records reveal since June 2023, monthly exports from Russia have not exceeded 1 million tons. Analysts interviewed by the Daily attribute this trend to the flexible pricing strategies adopted by Russian coal exporters, as well as the quality of the fuel itself. While a significant increase in Russia's market share in India is unlikely due to rising domestic production and the high cost of logistics. However, maintaining current shipment levels is entirely feasible, it said, voicing the opinion of experts. India's total thermal coal imports in May increased seasonally by

Coal purchases by China and India from Indonesia, world's biggest exporter, are dropping faster than their overall thermal coal imports, as both nations shift toward higher-calorific value (CV) coal

State-owned CIL's coking coal production dropped by 8.7 per cent to 4.53 million tonne in May, even as the government aims to increase the output to reduce dependency on imports. Coal India Ltd's (CIL) coking coal production was 4.96 MT in May 2024. The government under its 'Mission Coking Coal' aims to increase domestic coking coal production to 140 million tonne (MT) by 2029-30, thereby reducing dependency on its imports for the steel sector. Coking coal, also known as metallurgical coal, is essential for steel production. The company's coking coal production also dropped by 3.4 per cent to 9.36 MT in the April-May period over 9.69 MT in the year-ago period, as per the government's provisional data. CIL subsidiaries including Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) produce coking coal. BCCL is specifically known for its focus on coking coal production. CIL accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production. The government has taken steps to en

The government on Thursday said it has rationalised the registration fee for the Coal Import Monitoring System portal. The move is aimed at further promoting ease of doing business and ensuring uniformity across import monitoring platforms. The Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) is a digital platform developed to streamline the reporting of coal imports, ensuring timely and accurate data for effective policy formulation and sectoral analysis. The registration fee has been revised to a flat rate of Rs 500 per consignment, effective from Tuesday. This replaces the earlier fee structure, which ranged from Rs 500 to Rs one lakh per consignment. Rationalisation in registration fee aligns CIMS with similar Import Monitoring Systems such as the Steel Import Monitoring System, Non-Ferrous Import Monitoring System (NFIMS), and Paper Import Monitoring System, all of which operate under a flat fee model "By enabling real-time monitoring and informed decision-making in coal imports ...

India's coal import dropped marginally by 1.4 per cent to 240.77 million tonnes in the April-February period of FY'25, over the year-ago period. The country's coal import was 244.27 million tonnes (MT) in the April-February period of FY'24. Non-coking coal import was at 152.3 MT in the period under review, lower than 160.6 MT imported over the year-ago period. Coking coal import was at 49.7 MT during April-February 2024-25, down from 51.9 MT during the same period of previous year. Coal import in February also declined to 18.10 MT from 21.64 MT in February last year, according to data compiled by mjunction services. On a month-on-month basis, coal imports in February 2025 were down by 15.3 per cent against 21.4 MT in January 2025. Of the total imports in February 2025, non-coking coal import stood at 11.1 MT, against 13.8 MT imported in the year-ago period. Coking coal import was at 3.8 MT against 4.6 MT imported in February 2024. "There was a dip in import volumes which was in l

India's coal import dropped by 8.4 per cent to 183.42 million tonnes in the April-December period of the current fiscal, resulting in foreign exchange savings of around Rs 42,315 crore. The country's coal import was 200.19 MT in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. "Coal imports...during April to December 2024 fell by 8.4 per cent, totalling 183.42 million tonnes (MT), compared to 200.19 MT in the same period of the previous fiscal year. This reduction resulted in foreign exchange savings of approximately USD 5.43 billion (Rs 42,315 crore)," the coal ministry said in a statement. The non-regulated sector, excluding the power sector, experienced a more significant decline, with imports dropping by 12.01 per cent year-on-year. Although coal-based power generation grew by 3.53 per cent from April to December 2024 over the previous year, imports for blending by thermal power plants decreased by 29.8 per cent. The government has implemented several initiatives, including ..

India's coal imports remained flat at 201.30 million tonnes (MT) in the April-December period of the ongoing financial year. The country's coal import was 201.52 MT in the year-ago period, according to the data compiled by mjunction services, a leading name in the e-auction space. Coal import in December declined to 19.28 MT over 23.35 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year. "Imports in December 2024 stood around 19.28 million tonnes as against 23.35 MT imported in December 2023," it said. During April-December 2024, non-coking coal imports were at 128.85 MT, lower than 133.46 MT imported during the same period in the previous year. Coking coal imports were at 40.64 MT during April-December 2024, down from 42.81 MT reported for April-December 2023. "The high stock position in the domestic market, coupled with lower-than-expected demand, has led to a drop in import volumes. We expect the demand scenario to remain unchanged in the coming weeks," mjunction MD & CEO

The government on Thursday said coal-based power generation rose 3.87 per cent in the April-October period of the current fiscal year. "...there was a significant growth of 3.87 per cent in coal-based power generation from April 2024 to October 2024 compared to the same period last year," the coal ministry said in a statement. The ministry further said the imports for blending purposes by thermal power plants dropped 19.5 per cent during the same period. This decline emphasises the country's commitment to achieve self-sufficiency in coal production and reducing reliance on imports. "Increase in coal import for power sector is attributed to the import of coal by imported coal-based power plants (designed to utilise imported coal only) i.e. 30.04 MT during this period, up from 21.71 MT, reaching a growth of 38.4 per cent in the corresponding timeframe last year," it said. Coal imports during April-October period of the current fiscal year dropped 3.1 per cent to 149.39 million tonne

The country's coal import rose by 4.2 per cent to 162.45 million tonnes (MT) in the April-October period of the current financial year compared to 155.87 MT in the year-ago period. Coal imports in October dropped by 14.4 per cent to 21.84 MT compared to 25.54 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal, according to data compiled by mjunction services, a B2B e-commerce platform. Of the total imports in October, non-coking coal imports stood at 13.49 MT against 18.82 MT imported in October last fiscal. Coking coal imports stood at 4.45 MT, against 4.31 MT imported in October last financial year. In September, non-coking coal imports were 13.24 MT and coking coal at 3.39 MT. "There was a modest increase (month-on-month) in non-coking coal volumes in October as buyers took fresh positions during the festive month, and ahead of the winter season. Going forward, demand is likely to be moderate due to the anticipated growth in domestic supply during the fourth quarter (Q4)," ...

Coal import by non-regulated sectors (NRS) dropped 9.83 per cent to 63.28 million tonnes (MT) in the April-September period of the ongoing financial year, the government on Wednesday said. The coal import by NRS was 70.18 MT in year-ago period. The coal import by domestic thermal power plants for blending purpose also declined 8.59 per cent to 9.79 MT in the April-September period from 10.71 MT a year ago. "This demonstrates an increased reliance on domestic coal supplies for these sectors," the coal ministry said in a statement. However, there has been a rise in the import of coking coal, essential for the steel industry, and coal for imported coal-based (ICB) power plants, which are not substitutable by domestic coal. The overall coal imports during April-September 2024 rose 1.36 per cent to 129.52 million tonnes (MT) compared to 127.78 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year. In terms of value, overall imported coal during April-September stands at Rs 1,38,763.50 c

Shipments into the world's second-largest coal importer plunged 31.8 per cent to 13.56 million metric tons

South Asian nation is shifting to clean energy but it is not phasing out the fossil fuel yet