India is set to meet its domestic coal requirements for the power sector with a target of 906.1 million tonnes (MT) for the fiscal year 2025-26. The Ministry of Coal (MOC) has aligned its supply plans to match this requirement, ensuring that the nation’s thermal power plants are adequately fueled to support electricity generation.
India’s coal production has seen significant growth in recent years. In 2023-24, the country achieved its highest-ever coal output, reaching 997.826 MT, up by 11.71% from the previous year. This increase reflects the government’s efforts to ramp up domestic production and reduce dependency on imports. As of February 2025, provisional coal production stands at 929.15 MT, marking a 5.45% growth from the same period in the previous year.The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has reported that coal stocks at domestic coal-based power plants have reached 53.49 MT as of March 10, 2025, a 20.2% increase from the previous year. With these reserves, the current stock is expected to last for 20 days at an 85% plant load factor (PLF), ensuring that the power plants continue operating without disruptions.
To ensure the smooth distribution of coal, the Ministry of Coal, along with other key agencies like the Ministry of Railways and Coal India Limited (CIL), closely monitors the supply chain. An Inter-Ministerial Sub-Group (IMSG) is tasked with overseeing coal supply, coordinating efforts across ministries, and addressing operational challenges that may arise in delivering coal to power plants.Additionally, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been formed, consisting of senior officials from the Ministries of Coal, Power, and other departments, to ensure that both coal supply and power generation capabilities are aligned with India’s energy security goals. The committee also focuses on augmenting the country’s coal production capacity to meet the growing energy needs of the nation.
As India’s power consumption continues to rise, the government is committed to ensuring a steady and reliable coal supply to meet the energy demands, while focusing on long-term energy security and self-sufficiency.
