India’s coal imports rose by 1.5% to 76.40 million tonnes (MT) during April–June 2025, compared to 75.26 MT in the same period last year, according to mjunction Services Ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform jointly promoted by Tata Steel and SAIL.
The increase comes even as the government continues to push for higher domestic production to reduce import dependence.
In June 2025 alone, coal imports climbed to 23.91 MT, up from 22.97 MT in June 2024. Non-coking coal imports during the quarter were nearly unchanged at 49.08 MT, while coking coal imports rose to 16.37 MT from 15.45 MT a year ago. For June, non-coking coal imports stood at 14.85 MT (up from 14.19 MT), and coking coal imports were at 5.78 MT (up from 5.45 MT).
Meanwhile, state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL), which accounts for over 80% of domestic output , reported an 8.5% decline in production in June at 57.8 MT, compared to 63.1 MT a year earlier. The decline is attributed by industry experts to seasonal disruptions during the monsoon, which typically hampers mining and dispatch to power plants.
Despite the dip, Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy has assured that India will face no coal shortage during the ongoing monsoon, with the government taking measures to ensure adequate supply to power plants and other key sectors.
The coal ministry reiterated its commitment to sustainable growth, improving coal availability, and gradually reducing reliance on imports. With demand continuing to remain strong, the sector is expected to play a pivotal role in powering India’s economic growth.
