India’s Coal Imports Rose by 14 Percent in 2010, ICMW Says.

India’s coal imports rose by 14 percent last year to 86.28 million metric tons from 2009, India Coal Market Watch said in an e-mailed note, citing port data.

Imports of coking coal, used in steel making, totaled 25.8 million tons and the rest was made up of thermal coal, according to the newsletter. Imports of the fuel may rise to more than 100 million tons this year because India is adding about 4,000 megawatts of coal-fired capacity, it said.

Overseas purchases of coking coal rose by 1.3 percent last year, while thermal coal imports increased by about 24 percent, according to the report.

Source : bloomberg.com