India's coal import basket has registered a significant decline in April 2026, with total coal imports falling to 21.13 Million Tonnes (MT) from 24.27 MT in April 2025 - a reduction of 3.14 MT (about 12.95%). The decline reflects the sustained impact of the Ministry of Coal's continuing push for import substitution and enhanced domestic coal availability, particularly for the power sector.
Key Highlights
Power Sector Imports Down Sharply:
Coal imports by power plants fell by 24.89%, from 4.67 MT in April 2025 to 3.51 MT in April 2026, driven by improved domestic linkage supplies and reduced dependence on imported coal for blending.
Imported Coal-Based (ICB) Plants:
Imports for plants designed to run on imported coal declined by 27.45%, from 3.97 MT to 2.88 MT, the steepest reduction among all categories tracked.
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