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India's coal imports witnessed a notable decline of 3.1 per cent during the first seven months of FY 2024-25 (April-October), as the country continues its efforts to reduce reliance on external supplies and bolster domestic production.
According to the Ministry of Coal, coal imports during this period stood at 149.39 million tonnes (MT), compared to 154.17 MT in the same timeframe last year. The drop in coal imports is a significant achievement in India's pursuit of energy security, particularly in the face of growing demand for coking coal and high-grade thermal coal, which remain in short supply within the country. Despite this reduction in imports, coal-based power generation in India saw a 3.87 per cent increase from April to October 2024, highlighting the sustained demand for energy. One of the key developments in this period was the sharp 19.5 per cent reduction in imports for blending by thermal power plants, signaling the success of India's push for greater self-sufficiency in coal production. However, coal imports for the power sector, specifically for imported coal-based power plants, surged by 38.4 per cent, reaching 30.04 MT from 21.71 MT in the same period last year, as these plants rely solely on imported coal. Notably, the non-regulated sector, excluding the power sector, experienced an even steeper decline in imports, falling by 8.8 per cent year-on-year. This suggests that India is effectively diversifying its coal supply and optimizing its usage across various industries. On the production front, India's coal output has demonstrated positive growth, increasing by 6.04 per cent to reach 537.57 MT in the April-October 2024 period, up from 506.93 MT during the same period last year. This growth underscores the success of government initiatives aimed at ramping up domestic coal production to meet the country's ever-expanding energy needs. The Ministry of Coal remains focused on further enhancing domestic production capabilities, with strategic measures in place to ensure a more stable coal supply and reduce dependency on imports. (ANI)
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