India’s coal imports down 9.2% in FY 2024 to 2025

Lower imports led to foreign exchange savings of approximately $6.93b.

India has reported lower coal imports in the April 2024 to February 2025 period to settle at 220.3 million tonnes (MT) from 242.6 MT in the same period the previous year.

According to the Ministry of Coal, this reflects a 9.2% decrease in imports and a $6.93b foreign exchange savings.

The Non-Regulated Sector, excluding the power sector, experienced a more significant decline, with imports dropping by 15.3% year-on-year. Although coal-based power generation grew by 2.87% from April 2024 to February 2025 compared to the previous year, imports for blending by thermal power plants sharply decreased by 38.8%, reflecting efforts to reduce reliance on imported supply.

India has implemented several initiatives, including Commercial Coal Mining and Mission Coking Coal, to enhance domestic coal production and reduce imports. These efforts have also led to an encouraging 5.45% growth in coal output in the April 2024 to February 2025 period compared to the previous year.