India’s coal imports decline 5.83 pc to 104.57 MT in August
New Delhi, Nov 1 (TNT): India’s coal imports declined by 5.83 per cent to 104.57 million tonnes (MT) in August 2026 from 111.05 MT in the corresponding month last year, reflecting reduced dependence on overseas supplies amid efforts to strengthen domestic production and availability.
The total imports fell by 6.48 MT year-on-year, according to the Coal Ministry.
Coal imports by power plants declined by 6.39 per cent to 21.32 MT in August 2026 from 22.77 MT in the same month last year.
Imports for blending at domestic coal-based power plants registered a sharper fall of 35.23 per cent to 3 MT from 4.64 MT, indicating reduced reliance on imported coal for blending purposes.
However, imports by imported coal-based power plants increased marginally by 0.98 per cent to 18.31 MT from 18.13 MT during the period.
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 a year ago, a reduction of 1.90 percentage points.
Coking coal imports, primarily required by the steel industry, decreased by 4.18 per cent to 27.30 MT from 28.49 MT in August 2025.
The Ministry of Coal attributed the decline in imports to sustained efforts to enhance domestic coal production, improve availability and strengthen the supply chain.
It is focusing on increasing domestic production and offtake, strengthening First Mile Connectivity (FMC), improving coal evacuation infrastructure and monitoring coal stocks at thermal power plants.
The Ministry is also coordinating with the Railways and Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries to ensure timely coal supplies to power utilities and reduce import dependence wherever feasible.
While imports by certain power plants and the steel sector continue to meet specific fuel and raw material requirements, the government aims to further strengthen domestic production and supply-chain efficiency to ensure uninterrupted availability of coal for power generation and industrial consumption.
TNT KS
