On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders with the goal to “turbocharge coal mining” in the United States. He promoted coal as a beautiful, clean, reliable, durable, secure, powerful, cheap, incredibly efficient, high-density, and almost indestructible form of energy. The executive order also designates coal as a “critical mineral”. This could be a marker of the tactics other countries might use to promote coal.
US is not the only country to be refocusing on increasing coal mining. India has significantly increased coal production in recent years, driven by government initiatives to boost domestic output and reduce reliance on imports. India achieved its highest-ever coal production in FY 2023-24, reaching 997.826 million tonnes (MT). In the following financial year, FY 2024-25 (up to February 2025), coal production stood at 929.15 MT, marking a 5.45% growth compared to the 881.16 MT produced in the same period of the previous year. This increase in FY24 represented an 11.7 percent rise compared to the year before.
The Indian government remains focused on boosting domestic coal production to ensure a steady supply. Several measures have been implemented to enhance coal production and streamline availability, including regular monitoring of coal block development and amendments to the MMDR Act allowing captive mine owners to sell a portion of their output. Additionally, commercial coal mining auctions with incentives and liberalised policies, including 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Coal companies like Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) have also implemented strategies to enhance their production capacity through technology adoption and new project development.
In addition to an increase in domestic coal production, India has also continued to import increasing amounts of coal every year. In FY 2023-24, India imported 265 million tonnes (mt) of coal worth ₹3.1 trillion. This represents an increase of 11.3 percent from the 238 mt worth ₹3.8 trillion imported in FY 2022-23. The FY24 import included 59 mt of coking coal and 205 mt of non-coking coal worth ₹1.33 trillion. In comparison, the imports in FY23 were 56 mt of coking coal and 182 mt of non-coking coal. With all this in mind, the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, said the government is well-prepared for a searing summer, and also discussed the steps taken for faster and efficient coal evacuation.
Simultaneous to the increase in coal consumption, India is also experiencing increasing heatwaves every year. In 2025, India experienced its earliest recorded heatwave and unusually warm nights, signaling a significant shift in the country’s climate patterns. Notably, the first heatwave of the year occurred on February 25, 2025, affecting Goa and Maharashtra, marking the first-ever winter heatwave in India’s history—a phenomenon previously unheard of in the country’s climate records. It is well documented that increased use of coal directly contributes to increased global temperatures.
When will the country start thinking about phasing down coal? And will it be too late for global warming by then?
— Energy Team at CFA