India’s coal, power and railway ministries are working jointly to raise the country’s coal stockpiles to 55 million tons by the end of the fiscal year on March 31, from 18 million tons now, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources. Stocks are at their lowest since 2021 and cover only about six days of coal fired power generation, against a government requirement of at least three weeks, with half of India’s coal plants critically low last month after monsoon disruptions tightened supply and transport. Indian Railways raised coal carriage capacity by 20 percent last month and has been told to add a further 7 percent by March, while the International Energy Agency expects India’s total coal demand to rise 4.2 percent this year to 1.353 billion tons.
India moves to triple coal stocks before summer
India's coal, power and railway ministries are working to lift coal stockpiles to 55 million tons by March 31, from 18 million tons now, as stocks sit at their lowest since 2021 with only about six days of power generation cover.
Why it matters: Half of India's coal plants had critically low stocks last month against a government requirement of at least three weeks of cover, so the stockbuild sets coal demand, rail capacity and import needs through the summer peak.
Data as of OilPrice.com report of November 4, 2026, read in full in this run, relaying a Bloomberg report citing unnamed sources; no Indian government statement was in this run's queue, so the target and stock figures are single-sourced and the item ships at grade C. The International Energy Agency coal demand figure is the IEA Coal Mid-Year Update 2026 as cited in that report. Developing item.
Sources
- India Races to Triple Coal Stockpiles to Prevent Summer Blackouts - OilPrice.com, reporting Bloomberg - 2026-11-04