India boosts domestic coal use and tightens solar rules to cut import reliance

India is increasing the share of domestically mined coal at power plants that were originally designed for imported coal. Officials say more than half of the fuel at these plants now comes from Indian sources, with 5.7 GW of the 18.7 GW imported‑coal capacity already using domestic coal this year. Imports from Indonesia and South Africa fell sharply, and imported‑coal plants have booked about 16 million tonnes of Indian coal. Coal‑fired generation rose 10 % in May, the strongest annual increase since 2024, as utilities ramp up output to meet demand.

At the same time, the government is extending the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) scheme to solar ingots and wafers, effective 1 June 2028. All solar projects, including net‑metering and open‑access schemes, will have to use wafers listed on the domestic approved list. The move targets China, which supplies roughly 95‑97 % of global solar‑wafer capacity, and is intended to boost Indian manufacturing, attract up to ₹50 000 crore in investment and create up to 80 GW of wafer and ingot production capacity.