India's Rising Coal Imports Amid Domestic Challenges

India's coal imports increased by 1.5% in the first quarter despite efforts to boost domestic production. Non-coking coal imports remained stable while coking coal imports rose. The monsoon season has impacted domestic production, but the government assures coal availability for the power sector.

India's coal imports rose by 1.5% to 76.40 million tonnes during the April-June quarter, compared to 75.26 million tonnes in the same period last year, according to data from mjunction Services Ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform.

The current fiscal period saw non-coking coal imports nearly stable at 49.08 million tonnes while coking coal imports increased to 16.37 million tonnes, indicating a growing reliance on external sources even as the government pushes to boost home-grown production.

Despite a reported 8.5% drop in state-owned Coal India Limited's June production attributed to monsoon-related operational difficulties, the Coal Minister reassures no coal shortages will occur during the rainy season, emphasizing the sector's crucial role in India's energy landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)