Archive · 8 Dec 2025
India's Coking Coal Imports Rise in October 2025
In October 2025, India saw a rise in coking coal imports, which are used to make steel, because steel factories were getting ready for winter.
They wanted to have enough coal so that bad weather wouldn't stop them from making steel.
Even though coking coal imports went up by 12%, overall coal imports went down by 3.9% because there was enough coal available in India.
Experts think that in the next few months, imports might stay low because India is making more coal at home.
The government is also trying to make sure that India uses more of its own coal and imports less.
Coking coal imports increased by 12% to 5.04 million tonnes in October 2025 due to winter restocking by steel mills.
Overall coal imports decreased by 3.9% to 20.97 million tonnes in October 2025 due to surplus domestic coal availability.
Steel manufacturers typically boost coking coal purchases ahead of winter to secure raw material supplies.
Import levels are expected to remain subdued in the fourth quarter due to higher domestic coal production.
The government is taking steps to increase domestic coking coal consumption and reduce imports.
- Who
- Steel mills and domestic coal producers
- What
- Increase in coking coal imports and decrease in overall coal imports
- When
- October 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- Winter restocking by steel mills and surplus domestic coal availability
- Coking Coal Imports
- 5.04 million tonnes (October 2025)
- Overall Coal Imports
- 20.97 million tonnes (October 2025)
- Year-on-Year Change in Coking Coal Imports
- 12% increase
- Year-on-Year Change in Overall Coal Imports
- 3.9% decrease
- Primary Driver for Coking Coal Imports
- Winter restocking by steel mills
- Expected Import Trend for Q4
- Subdued due to higher domestic production
- New Sub-sector Created in 2024
- Steel using Coking coal through WDO route
- Initiative to Reduce Imports
- Coking Coal Mission
