Now Reading: India nearly doubles planned coal capacity to 638 mtpa in 2025
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India nearly doubles planned coal capacity to 638 mtpa in 2025
India nearly doubled its planned coal mining capacity to 638 million tonnes per annum in 2025, accounting for almost all growth in the global coal project pipeline, said Global Energy Monitor. This…
The Story in Brief
India nearly doubled its planned coal mining capacity to 638 million tonnes per annum in 2025, accounting for almost all growth in the global coal project pipeline, said Global Energy Monitor. This comes even as wind and solar overtook coal in the global electricity mix for the first time in 2025.
The increase is driven by government targets to produce nearly 1.15 billion tonnes in 2025-26 and 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, mainly in Jharkhand and Odisha. However, the report warned that rapid expansion could leave producers exposed if coal demand weakens faster than expected. Actual new capacity additions fell 40% to 113 mtpa in 2025.
The Indian Opinion
Official narratives frame this as necessary for energy security and heatwave response, while green groups decry a climate betrayal. Both miss the crunch point: the International Energy Agency forecasts coal demand plateauing by 2030. If India builds mines for 2030 demand, will they become stranded assets before the first coal is dug? The test is whether actual new mine openings rise in 2026, or if proposals remain paper projects.
Sources (3): thehindubusinessline.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com, news.google.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
