Now Reading: Coal demand may reach 1.6 billion tonnes by 2030
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Coal demand may reach 1.6 billion tonnes by 2030
India’s coal demand is projected to reach 1.6 billion tonnes a year by 2030, Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said at a commodities conclave in Mumbai on Friday. Domestic production crossed 1…
The Story in Brief
India’s coal demand is projected to reach 1.6 billion tonnes a year by 2030, Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said at a commodities conclave in Mumbai on Friday. Domestic production crossed 1 billion tonnes in 2024-25 and stayed above that level in 2025-26, he said.
The government plans to operationalise a coal exchange in the coming months, though it has not set a firm date. The platform would let buyers and sellers bid simultaneously, widen access for commercial and captive miners, and provide central clearing and settlement. Dutt said it could eventually support a coal derivatives market. The move seeks to replace Coal India’s dominant one-to-many sales model with more transparent, market-driven trading. The Hindu BusinessLine reported that consumers could source coal from multiple domestic producers.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that India’s coal story is simply one of scarcity, or that a new exchange will automatically deliver cheap fuel, are both too neat. Demand is still rising, while the proposed platform’s value will depend on genuine participation, reliable grades and fair access for smaller buyers. The government should publish the exchange rules, launch date and price data. A sustained gap between exchange prices and existing notified prices would show whether competition is real.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
