India aims to slash power sector coal imports by 30 percent
The Indian government plans to reduce thermal coal imports for power plants by 15 million tons this year. Officials encourage blending more domestic coal.
India, the world's second-largest importer of thermal coal, is aiming to reduce its power sector imports by at least 30% this year. The government has requested that power plants test increased blending with domestic coal, targeting a reduction of at least 15 million tons from the nearly 50 million tons imported in 2025. This initiative comes as the nation seeks to balance its 2070 net-zero goals with the reality that coal still provides three-quarters of its electricity generation.
In 2025, Indian power plants relied heavily on supplies from Indonesia, South Africa, and Russia. New Delhi is now focused on reducing this dependence for approximately 17 gigawatts of capacity specifically built to run on imported fuel. Authorities intend to replace between 20% and 30% of imported coal with domestic supply at most of these facilities.
