India to Cut Thermal Coal Imports

India, the world's second-largest thermal coal importer, plans to cut imports for power plants by at least 30%, aiming for a 15 million ton reduction this year. This initiative encourages power plants to increase blending with domestic coal, supported by rising production from Coal India and private miners. The government seeks to reduce reliance on imports for its 17 gigawatts of import-dependent power plants and has assured producers of high-quality domestic coal. While India continues to rely heavily on coal for electricity, this move aligns with its 2070 net-zero goal and efforts to manage Coal India's stockpiles, which have led to increased exports to neighboring countries. Challenges remain, as some power plants may require costly boiler recalibrations to use lower-quality local coal.