India nearly doubled its
planned coal mining capacity in 2025, fuelling a global rise in
proposed coal mine developments, a report by Global Energy
Monitor showed.
* India’s proposed coal mine capacity rose to 638 million
metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) from 329 mtpa a year earlier,
accounting for almost all of the growth in the global coal
project pipeline, which expanded 11% to 2,521 mtpa.
* The increase highlights New Delhi’s efforts to boost
domestic coal production to meet rising power demand, even as
renewable energy capacity expands rapidly and analysts expect
global coal demand growth to slow.
* The increase in planned capacity comes despite
International Energy Agency forecasts that global coal demand
will plateau by 2030. Wind and solar overtook coal in the global
electricity mix for the first time in 2025, the U.S.-based
energy research group said.
* Most of India’s proposed new capacity is concentrated in
the eastern states of Jharkhand and Odisha, as the government
targets coal production of nearly 1.15 billion metric tonnes in
fiscal 2025/26 and 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030.
* However, the rapid growth in planned mining capacity could
leave producers exposed if coal demand weakens faster than
expected, the report said.
* While coal mine proposals increased, new capacity
additions fell nearly 40% in 2025 to 113 mtpa, driven by
declines in China and Australia, the report said.