New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) India’s coal imports declined 5.83 per cent year-on-year to 104.57 million tonnes (MT) in August 2026, compared to 111.05 MT in the corresponding month last year, amid efforts to boost domestic production and reduce dependence on overseas supplies, the Ministry of Coal said on Sunday.
The country’s coal imports fell by 6.48 MT during the month, reflecting improved domestic coal availability and measures to strengthen the supply chain.
Imports by power plants declined 6.39 per cent to 21.32 MT in August 2026, against 22.77 MT in the same month last year. The reduction was in line with efforts to improve domestic coal supplies and lower the dependence on imported coal for blending at domestic coal-based power plants.
Coal imports for blending at domestic coal-based power plants witnessed a sharper decline of 35.23 per cent to 3 MT from 4.64 MT in August 2025.
However, imports by imported coal-based (ICB) power plants registered a marginal increase of 0.98 per cent to 18.31 MT during the month, compared to 18.13 MT a year earlier. These plants are primarily designed to operate on imported coal.
The share of imported coal in India’s total coal consumption also declined to 19.30 per cent in August 2026 from 21.20 per cent in the corresponding month last year, marking a reduction of 1.90 percentage points.
Coking coal imports, which cater primarily to the steel industry’s raw material requirements, fell 4.18 per cent to 27.30 MT during August, compared to 28.49 MT in the year-ago period. The ministry noted that domestic availability of coking coal remains constrained due to the quality and characteristics of indigenous reserves, making imports necessary to meet the specific requirements of the steel sector.
The Ministry of Coal said it is continuing efforts to increase domestic coal production and offtake, strengthen First Mile Connectivity (FMC), improve transportation and evacuation infrastructure, and monitor coal stocks at thermal power plants.
It is also coordinating with the Ministry of Railways, Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries to ensure timely and adequate coal supplies to power utilities.
The ministry said these measures are aimed at improving the reliability of domestic supplies, reducing avoidable dependence on imports and ensuring uninterrupted power generation across the country.
–IANS
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