India’s coal imports decline 13% in April on higher domestic availability
New Delhi, July 2 (TNT): India’s coal imports declined by nearly 13 per cent in April 2026, driven by higher domestic coal production and sustained efforts by the Ministry of Coal to reduce dependence on imports, particularly for the power sector.
According to official data released on Thursday, total coal imports fell to 21.13 million tonnes (MT) in April 2026 from 24.27 MT in the corresponding month last year, a decline of 3.14 MT, or 12.95 per cent.
Coal imports by the power sector registered a sharp decline of 24.89 per cent, falling from 4.67 MT in April 2025 to 3.51 MT in April 2026, aided by improved domestic coal supplies and reduced reliance on imported coal for blending.
Imports by Imported Coal-Based (ICB) power plants recorded the steepest fall, declining 27.45 per cent from 3.97 MT to 2.88 MT during the period.
Coal imported by Domestic Coal-Based (DCB) power plants for blending also declined by 11.26 per cent, from 0.71 MT to 0.63 MT, reflecting increased availability of domestic coal.
The Ministry said the country’s dependence on imported coal continued to narrow, with imports accounting for 19.68 per cent of total coal consumption in April 2026, compared with 21.69 per cent a year earlier.
In contrast, coking coal imports, primarily used by the steel industry, remained largely stable, increasing marginally by 1.34 per cent from 5.93 MT to 6.01 MT.
The Ministry attributed the increase to continued growth in domestic steel production and limited availability of indigenous coking coal reserves.
The Ministry of Coal said the decline in imports reflects its strategy of increasing domestic coal production, strengthening first-mile connectivity, improving coal evacuation infrastructure and ensuring adequate supplies to thermal power plants through coordinated efforts with Coal India Ltd., its subsidiaries and the Ministry of Railways.
It said the government would continue to focus on enhancing domestic coal production, improving logistics and strengthening quality-based coal grading to further reduce import dependence while maintaining adequate fuel stocks for power generation.
TNT TS
