India's coal imports set to rise as domestic output fails to match demand

Delays in land purchases, environmental awareness key challenges Coal India may encounter in increasing output

India, the world’s second-largest coal importer, is set to see a rise in shipments of the fuel as domestic production lags behind demand, Benjamin Sporton, Chief Executive at the World Coal Association said.

State-run Coal India Ltd., which produces more than 80 per cent of India’s coal, is failing to meet production targets, creating a gap that will be met through imports, Sporton said in New Delhi last week.

The Kolkata-based miner has missed shipment targets every year since at least 2010. It has focused on supplies to power stations, while curtailing shipments to buyers including cement and aluminum companies. At the