India's coal output falls 10% in May despite recovery from April

By Romel S. Gurky

India's coal production fell 10% year-on-year in May 2026, although output recovered from the previous month, according to data compiled by iEnergy Natural Resources Limited.

Total coal production reached 78.13 million metric tons (MMT) in May, compared with 86.34 MMT a year earlier. Output was up 5% from 74.31 MMT in April.

Production by state-owned coal miner Coal India Ltd. declined 12% year-on-year to 56.13 MMT, while output from Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) fell 23% to 4.51 MMT. In contrast, captive and commercial miners increased production by 3% year-on-year to 17.49 MMT, with output rising 23% from April levels.

During the first five months of 2026, India's coal production totaled 474.60 MMT, down 3.1% from 489.58 MMT in the same period last year. Captive and commercial miners remained the fastest-growing segment, posting an 8% increase in output to 100.70 MMT.

Coal dispatches continued to grow despite weaker production. Deliveries reached 92.0 MMT in May, up 3% from a year earlier and 7% higher than April, indicating continued demand from key coal-consuming sectors.

Editing by Alexander Ginting