Centre notifies Coking Coal as a critical and strategic mineral to cut import dependence.
Photo Credit: Social Media.
New Delhi, January 29, 2026: The Government of India has notified coking coal as a critical and strategic mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act).
The Central government is aiming at strengthening India’s mineral security and supporting the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Developed India 2047.
The decision, notified by the Ministry of Coal, follows recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Implementation of Developed India Goals (HLC-VB) and policy inputs from NITI Aayog, which underscored the strategic importance of coking coal for the domestic steel sector.
India has huge coking coal reserves:
India has estimated coking coal reserves of 37.35 billion tonnes, primarily located in Jharkhand, with additional reserves in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. Despite this, the country remains heavily dependent on imports.
Coking coal imports rose from 51.20 million tonnes in 2020-21 to 57.58 million tonnes in 2024-25, with nearly 95 percent of the steel sector’s requirement currently met through imports, resulting in substantial foreign exchange outgo.
To address this challenge, the Central Government, exercising powers under Section 11C of the MMDR Act, has amended the first schedule of the Act.
As per the amendment, the word “coal” in Part A will now read as “coal including coking coal,” and coking coal has been included in Part D, which lists critical and strategic minerals.
The move is expected to expedite approvals, improve ease of doing business, and accelerate exploration and mining, including of deeper reserves.
Mining of critical minerals is exempted from the requirement of public consultation, and provisions allow the use of degraded forest land for compensatory afforestation, measures aimed at encouraging private sector participation.
The initiative would boost the policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat:
The reform is expected to reduce import dependence, strengthen the steel sector supply chain, and support the objectives of the National Steel Policy.
It is also likely to boost private investment in exploration, beneficiation, and advanced mining technologies, while generating employment across mining, logistics, and the steel value chain.
The government clarified that, under Section 11D(3) of the MMDR Act, royalties, auction premiums, and other statutory payments will continue to accrue to the respective state governments, even if mineral auctions are conducted by the Centre.
By enabling optimal utilization of domestic coking coal resources, the notification marks a significant step towards enhancing national mineral security and building a self-reliant and resilient industrial ecosystem.
EOM.
