India's Coal Import Surge: Pre-Festive Demand Fuels Increase

India's coal imports surged by 13.54% to 22.05 million tonnes in September due to increased demand prior to the festive season. Although non-coking coal imports slightly increased compared to last year, the trends exhibit a push towards boosting domestic production to reduce dependency.

India experienced a significant increase in coal imports this September, with a jump of 13.54% to 22.05 million tonnes, in comparison to 19.42 million tonnes during the same period last year. The rise was predominantly driven by heightened demand ahead of the festive season.

Breaking down the figures, non-coking coal imports saw a slight increase to 13.90 million tonnes from 13.24 million tonnes last September. Meanwhile, coking coal imports, crucial for the steel industry, rose to 4.50 million tonnes from 3.39 million tonnes, highlighting growing industrial demand.

Despite ongoing government initiatives to ramp up domestic coal production, India continues to rely on imports, particularly for high-grade thermal and coking coal, essential for industries such as steel. The overall trend signals a strategic movement towards self-sufficiency and reduced import reliance to bolster economic resilience.

(With inputs from agencies.)