Will India find success in its commercial coal mining program? Report

Insight 20 October 2022

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Report summary

In 2020, India launched a landmark commercial coal mining program, which paved the way for the re-entry of private players in mining/selling coal in the domestic market. Under the program, coal blocks are allocated through the e-auction route via a competitive bidding process. The first round of auctions was held in November 2020, while the fifth round was conducted in September 2022. So far, 57 coal blocks have been successfully awarded under the program. In this insight, we explore: • Developments leading to the launch of the commercial coal mining program. • Status of the five auction rounds conducted to date. • How successful has the program been so far? • Policy and reform measures to make the program more attractive. • The expected role of commercial coal mining in meeting India’s coal demand.

Executive summary
India is allowing private participation in commercial coal mining after a gap of over 47 years
To date, five rounds of commercial coal mine auctions have been concluded
The outcome of the auctions, so far, remains mixed
Significant policy measures introduced to boost private confidence
The role of commercial coal mining in augmenting domestic coal supply remains vital