Coal Import In India: An Overview

Thermal coal is mainly used for generating electricity while coking coal is used for producing steel. The rise in thermal coal imports could be attributed to the increasing demand for electricity, driven by the growing population and expanding industries. On the other hand, the increase in coking coal imports could be due to the growth in the steel industry, which is crucial for the country’s infrastructure development.

India, one of the largest coal-producing countries in the world, is also one of the largest coal-consuming countries in the world. Despite its significant coal reserves, the country still relies on imports to meet its energy needs. From April 22 – January 23, the country imported a total of 108,368 thousand tons of thermal coal, marking a 35% increase from the previous year. On the other hand, the country imported 49,955 thousand tons of coking coal, a 20% increase from the previous year.

Port Wise Coal Import

The imported coal is distributed among different ports in India. Among these, the Paradip Port emerged as the largest importer of thermal coal, with an import of 39,806 thousand tons, marking a 66% increase from the previous year. Visakhapatnam port followed closely with a total of 11,555 thousand tons of thermal coal, which marks a 57% increase from the previous year. The Kamarajar Port at Ennore imported 18,560 thousand tons of thermal coal, which marks a 20% increase from the previous year.

The Kolkata Dock System was the largest importer of coking coal with a total of 19,732 thousand tons, marking a 64% increase from the previous year. On the other hand, the V.O. Chidambaranar Port imported 4,293 thousand tons of coking coal, which marks a 6% increase from the previous year. The New Mangalore Port saw the highest growth in coking coal imports, with a 127% increase from the previous year.

Insight

The rise in coal imports in India highlights the country’s ongoing demand for energy to meet its growing needs. The increase in imports of both thermal and coking coal indicates the country’s efforts to secure its energy supplies and ensure sustainable growth. The continued growth in imports is likely to have a positive impact on the country’s economy and provide opportunities for further expansion in the energy and steel sectors.

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