India's coal imports fell by 12.08 percent to 18.26 million tonnes (MT) in August compared to the same month the previous year when imports stood at 20.77 MT. Over the April to August period, coal imports dropped by 10.3 percent, totaling 103.93 MT compared to 115.93 MT during the same period in the previous year, according to data from mjunction services ltd, a prominent B2B e-commerce company.

In August, non-coking coal imports were at 10.52 MT, down from 13.85 MT the previous year. Meanwhile, coking coal imports remained steady at 4.62 MT, the same as in August of the previous fiscal year. This significant drop in non-coking coal imports can be attributed to increased domestic availability, which has risen by approximately 10 percent. This trend is expected to continue unless there is a sudden surge in demand and a substantial decrease in seaborne coal prices, stated mjunction's MD & CEO, Vinaya Varma.

During the April to August period of the current fiscal year, non-coking coal imports reached 62.87 MT, down from 80.64 MT in the same period of the previous year. Coking coal imports, on the other hand, reached 25.75 MT during April to August 2023-24, up from 23.16 MT in April to August 2022-23.

Coal India, which accounts for more than 80 percent of domestic coal production, plays a significant role in India's coal sector. The Indian government has set a total coal production target of 1,012 MT for the fiscal year 2023-24.