Imports of metallurgical coal from Russia have spurted around three-fold in the last three years to around 15.1 million tonnes in 2023-24 mainly due to lower prices while the same from Australia have declined, according to a research firm. Russia's share in India's metallurgical coal imports of 73.2 million tonnes (MT) has risen to around 21 per cent from around 8 per cent in 2021-22, research firm Big Mint said in a statement.
The import of metallurgical coal, which includes coking coal and pulverised coal injection (PCI), from Russia, stood at 5.1 MT, accounting for 8 per cent of India's total imports of 65.6 MT of the commodity in 2021-22. Metallurgical coal imports from Russia rose to 11.3 MT in 2022-23, accounting for 16 per cent of 69.9 MT met coal imports in that year. In 2023-24, met coal imports from Russia were 15.1 MT or 21 per cent of total met coal imports of 73.2 MT. Australia, a major supplier of met coal to India, saw a decline in the commodity's exports t India.