India Coal Imports Surge in November; Decline Expected Ahead on Higher Domestic Availability

Imports Rise Sharply in November​

India’s coal imports rose sharply in November, increasing 28.1 percent year on year to 25.07 million tonnes, compared with 19.57 million tonnes in the same month last year. The data reflects a notable jump in inbound shipments during the month.

Import Mix: Coking and Non-Coking Coal​

Non-coking coal imports stood at 14.28 million tonnes in November, higher than 12.32 million tonnes imported in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year.
Coking coal imports increased to 6.51 million tonnes, up from 4.25 million tonnes recorded in the same month last year.

April to November Imports Edge Higher​

During the April to November period of the current financial year, coal imports rose to 186.16 million tonnes, compared with 182.02 million tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, indicating a modest increase on a cumulative basis.

Domestic Output Trends and Outlook​

Despite multiple measures to boost domestic production and reduce dependence on imports, coal output from Coal India Ltd declined 3.7 percent to 453.5 million tonnes during April to November of the current financial year. In the same period last year, the company produced 471 million tonnes.

Coal India accounts for over 80 percent of India’s domestic coal production. The company has set a production target of 875 million tonnes and an offtake target of 900 million tonnes for the 2025–26 financial year. In 2024–25, Coal India produced 781.1 million tonnes of coal, nearly 7 percent below its annual target of 838 million tonnes.

Industry Data Source​

The import figures were compiled by mjunction services ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform and joint venture between Steel Authority of India Ltd and Tata Steel.

With domestic coal availability expected to improve in the coming months, industry data indicates that the recent spike in imports may moderate ahead.