India's total coal imports declined by 5.83 per cent in August 2026, falling to 104.57 million tonnes (MT) from 111.05 MT in August 2025 — a reduction of 6.48 MT — the Ministry of Coal said in a release issued through PIB Delhi on Sunday, November 1.

Source: PIB / Ministry of Coal

The ministry attributed the decline to continued efforts to enhance domestic coal production, improve availability and strengthen the supply chain, with a view to reducing the country's dependence on imported coal.

104.57 MTTotal coal imports, August 2026
-5.83%Change vs August 2025
21.32 MTImports by power plants
19.30%Imported share of total coal consumption

Coal imports by power plants decreased 6.39 per cent, from 22.77 MT in August 2025 to 21.32 MT in August 2026, IANS reported, carrying the same ministry figures. Imports for blending at domestic coal-based power plants fell much more sharply — by 35.23 per cent, from 4.64 MT to 3.00 MT — while imports by imported coal-based plants rose marginally by 0.98 per cent to 18.31 MT.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press

The share of imported coal in India's total coal consumption decreased from 21.20 per cent in August 2025 to 19.30 per cent in August 2026, a decline of 1.90 percentage points. Coking coal imports, used mainly by the steel industry, decreased 4.18 per cent to 27.30 MT from 28.49 MT a year earlier.

The ministry said it continues to focus on increasing domestic production and offtake, strengthening First Mile Connectivity, improving transportation and evacuation infrastructure, and monitoring coal stocks at thermal power plants, in coordination with the Ministry of Railways and Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries.