The coal import in January through the major and non-major ports also increased to 19.81 MT, over 16.97 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal.

Of the total imports in January, non-coking coal import was at 12.10 MT, against 10.01 MT imported in January last financial year. Coking coal imports stood at 4.50 MT, marginally lower than 4.74 MT imported in the corresponding month of previous fiscal.

"The demand for imported coal in India has weakened in recent weeks. We expect this trend to continue in March in view of the ample availability of domestic coal at mine pitheads and thermal power plants," mjunction services MD and CEO Vinaya Varma said.

According to the provisional data of the government, the country's coal production in the April-January period rose to 784.11 MT over 698.99 MT during the same period in 2022-23.