In 2009, India's coal output increased by 7.8 percent year on year reaching 492.95 million metric tons, according to a statement released by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Indian government on January 31.
According to the provisional statistics, the country's coal production up to the start of last December reached 365.09 million metric tons, including 29.49 million metric tons of coking coal. In December 2009, the country's coking coal output increased by 6.19 percent year on year, totaling 3.86 million metric tons.
India's total coal imports in 2009 are estimated to be around 59 million metric tons, including 24 million metric tons of coking coal and 35 million metric tons of non-coking coal.
Indian coal is traditionally high ash coal and of low calorific value. Imported coking coal, mostly from Australia, is mainly used in the steel sector due to quality considerations. On the other hand, non-coking coal, mostly imported from Indonesia and South Africa, is used in the power sector and in the cement sector, also mainly on cost-quality considerations.