India's Coal Output Surges 3.6% in April, Hits 81.57 Million Tonnes
India's coal production reached 81.57 million tonnes in April 2025, up 3.6% from the previous year. Coal India Limited registered a growth of 22.1%. The reduction in coal imports saved the country $5.43 billion. The government has taken several initiatives to increase domestic production.
The total coal production in India reached 81.57 million tonnes (MT) during April this year, up 3.63 per cent from 78.71 MT produced in the same period last year, the Union Government informed on Thursday. In the financial year 2025-26, production from the mines of Captive/Other Institutions stood at 14.51 MT during April, showing a spectacular increase from 11.46 MT recorded during the same period last year. "This is a reflection of the increasing contribution of captive mining in India's total coal production," a coal ministry statement said. India's total coal dispatch reached 86.64 MT during April in FY 2025-26, showing a steady increase from 85.11 MT recorded during April 2024. As of April 30, the stocks with coal companies have risen sharply, reaching 125.76 MT in FY 2025-26 as compared to 102.41 MT in the same period last year.
The total coal stock in Coal India Limited (CIL) alone stood at 105 MT in FY 2025-26, which is 22.1% higher than the 86.60 MT recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year. The jump reflects an impressive annual growth rate of 22.8 per cent, reflecting the strong performance and efficiency of the coal sector, an official statement said. The Ministry is focused on achieving sustainable growth, improving availability of coal and reducing dependence on imports. India's coal imports declined by 8.4 per cent to 183.42 million tonnes (MT) during April to December 2024 due to an increase in domestic production, down 8.4 per cent from 200.19 MT in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
The ministry said that the country saved about $ 5.43 billion (Rs 42,315.7 crore) of foreign exchange due to the reduction in coal imports. The non-regulated sector, excluding the power sector, saw a more significant decline, with imports declining by 12.01 per cent year-on-year. Although coal-based power generation increased by 3.53 per cent from April to December 2024 compared to the previous year, imports for blending by thermal power plants to increase the calorific value of coal sharply decreased by 29.8 per cent. The government has implemented several initiatives including commercial coal mining and mission coking coal to increase domestic coal production and reduce imports.