India's coal imports drop 4.2% as domestic output rises
22 Mar 2026

India's coal imports have witnessed a major dip of 4.2% in the April-January period of the current fiscal year.

The fall is mainly due to an increase in self-reliance and rising domestic coal production.

According to data from mjunction services, non-coking coal imports stood at 127.8 million tons (MT) during this period, down from last year's figure of 141.18 MT for the same period.

Coking coal imports rise slightly
Import trends

While non-coking coal imports have fallen, coking coal imports have witnessed a slight rise.

During the April-January 2025-26 period, coking coal imports stood at 50.39 MT, up from last year's figure of 45.83 MT for the same period.

This indicates a shift in India's coal import patterns as it aims to balance its domestic production with international sourcing.

A look at India's coal imports in January
Monthly decline

India's coal imports in January 2026 also witnessed a major decline of 22.1% to 16.64 MT, compared to last year's figure of over 21.37 MT for the same month.

Of this total import, non-coking coal imports accounted for 9.45 MT, down from last year's figure of 12.33 MT for the same month.

Coking coal imports stood at 4.23 MT, lower than last year's figure of 5.23 MT for the same period.

Domestic coal production to reach 1.5 billion tons by 2029-30
Future projections

Domestic coal production in India is expected to grow by 6-7% annually over the next few years. This growth is projected to reach around 1.5 billion tons by 2029-30.

The country's coal demand is also expected to continue rising and peak around 2040, as per Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy's statement.