Coal Imports declines by 3.1% in Apr-Oct period of FY25

Coal imports during the April-October period of FY 2024-25 experienced a notable decrease of 3.1%, reaching 149.39 million tonnes (MT) compared to 154.17 MT in the corresponding period of last year. Additionally, the Non-Regulated Sector (other than power) witnessed a more significant drop of 8.8%, during Apr-Oct’24 as compared to the same period of last year.

There was also a significant growth of 3.87% in coal-based power generation from April 2024 to October 2024 compared to the same period last year, imports for blending purposes by thermal power plants decreased substantially by 19.5% during the same period.

This decline underscores India’s steadfast commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in coal production and reducing reliance on imports. The increase in coal import for the power sector is attributed to the import of coal by imported coal-based power plants (designed to utilize imported coal only) i.e. 30.04 MT during this period, up from 21.71 MT, reaching a growth of 38.4% in the corresponding timeframe last year.

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Moreover, coal production during the April-October 2024 period demonstrated a commendable increase, reaching 537.57 MT compared to 506.93 MT in FY 2023-24, marking a growth of 6.04 %. This upward trend reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline coal usage and enhance domestic production.

 Despite possessing the fifth-largest coal reserves globally, India faces a significant shortfall in certain coal types, particularly coking coal and high-grade thermal coal, which are not adequately available from domestic sources. This gap in supply necessitates coal imports to sustain key industries, including steel production, and to meet the growing energy demand.

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