New Delhi: India’s coal imports decreased by 3.1% during the first seven months of fiscal year 2024-25 (April-October), reaching 149.39 million metric tons compared with the same period last year, according to a Press Information Bureau press release. The decline in imports is attributed to the government’s initiatives to reduce reliance on foreign coal, particularly for coking coal and high-grade thermal coal.
The non-regulated sector, excluding the power sector, saw a significant 8.8% year-over-year decrease in coal imports. Notably, imports for blending by thermal power plants decreased by 19.5%, indicating India’s efforts toward greater self-sufficiency in coal production. However, coal imports for the power sector saw a 38.4% increase, reaching 30.04 million metric tons compared with 21.71 million metric tons in the previous year, primarily due to the increased operation of imported coal-based power plants.
Despite the decline in imports, coal-based power generation grew by 3.87% between April and October 2024 compared with the same period last year. Domestic coal production also experienced positive growth, increasing by 6.04% to reach 537.57 million metric tons in the April-October 2024 period, compared with 506.93 million metric tons in the same period of fiscal year 2023-24.
The Ministry of Coal continues to implement strategic measures to boost domestic coal production and ensure a stable coal supply, aiming to further reduce India’s dependence on coal imports and strengthen the country’s energy security.