India’s imports of thermal coal fell by 41.5 per cent to 32.9 million tonnes during the quarter ended June 30, 2020 as coronavirus lockdown affected power demand.
Imports by utilities, which account for over three-fourths of India’s coal use, fell by 41 per cent as coal’s share in overall power generation dropped to as low as 60 per cent during the quarter, compared with 2019 average of nearly 70 per cent. Also, thermal coal imports by the non-regulated sector, which includes cement producers and the metals industry fell by 41.7 per cent. Imports of coking coal – used mainly by the steel industry – also fell by 28.6 per cent to 9.71 million tonnes.