India's coal imports flat at 201 MT in Apr-Dec period

India's coal imports remained nearly unchanged at 201.30 million tonnes during April-December of the current fiscal year, compared to the same period last year. High domestic coal stocks and lower-than-expected demand contributed to the slight decline in import volumes, even as domestic production increased by 6.11 per cent.

New Delhi: 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 Vinaya Varma said.

Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy recently said reducing coal imports and increasing domestic production is the focus of the government.

The coal sector remains a cornerstone of the country's energy security, playing an important role in the nation's industrial and economic growth. With the fifth-largest geological coal reserves globally and as the second-largest consumer, coal continues to be an indispensable energy source, contributing to 55 per cent of the national energy mix. Approximately 74 per cent of power generation in the country relies on thermal power plants.

The cumulative domestic coal production in the April-December period of the current fiscal year reached 726.29 MT (provisional) compared to 684.45 MT during the corresponding period of 2023-24, registering a rise of 6.11 per cent. This showcases the ministry's relentless efforts to meet the rising energy demand.