India's total coal imports decreased by 1.82 percent to 68.30 million tonnes in the April-June period of the current financial year, according to a recent report. This import volume is lower than the 69.57 million tonnes recorded in the same period last year, as stated in the latest report by mjunction.

The import category encompasses various types of coal, including non-coking coal, coking coal, anthracite coal, pulverised coal injection (PCI) coal, metallurgical coke, and petroleum coke (pet coke).

Specifically, non-coking coal imports during this period amounted to 42.99 million tonnes, compared to 47.44 million tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. Coking coal imports reached 15.89 million tonnes, up from 14.61 million tonnes imported a year ago.

In June 2023, coal imports stood at around 21.03 million tonnes, marking a 25.21 percent decline compared to the 28.11 million tonnes imported in the same month of the previous year.

While India ranks among the world's top five coal-producing countries, it continues to import some coal to meet its domestic requirements due to being a significant consumer of this energy source. Notably, for coking coal, a crucial input in steel production, the country heavily relies on imports.

Vinaya Varma, the MD & CEO of mjunction, commented on the import trend, stating, "As expected, there was a decrease in import demand at the beginning of the monsoon season, despite softness in seaborne prices. We anticipate demand to recover after the rainy season concludes, with a resurgence in industrial activity ahead of the festive season."

A B2B e-commerce platform, mjunction is a 50:50 joint venture promoted by Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and Tata Steel.