Coal will continue to play a central role in India’s energy mix as the country works towards tripling its per capita energy consumption on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, said Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, at a leadership panel on the third day of India Energy Week 2026. The event is being organised in Goa from

Speaking at the session Coal’s evolving role in a secure energy mix: charting a balanced and pragmatic approach on the Resilience Stage, the Secretary emphasised the need for realism in energy transition debates.

“Coal is not going away in a hurry. For India, affordable and dependable baseload power is not a choice, it is an imperative. The mantra is not ‘phase out’, it is ‘phase down’ in calibrated steps that reflect ground realities,” he said. He added that coal underpins India’s development needs and will continue to do so even as renewables scale up alongside climate commitments.

Highlighting the global perspective, Kyle Haustveit, Assistant Secretary for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, said coal remains critical for energy security worldwide.

“Coal powered the modern world and it is not going away. Reliable, affordable and secure energy matters, and coal provides that stability, regardless of weather or market volatility,” he said. Haustveit highlighted the strong potential for India–US collaboration in clean coal technologies, coal gasification, carbon utilisation and trade in high-quality metallurgical coal.

From an industry standpoint, B. Sairam, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Coal India Limited, said coal will act as a bridge and enabler in India’s transition. “India’s per capita energy consumption is barely a third of developed economies. As this demand triples, coal will provide firm, dispatchable power while renewables and storage mature,” he said. The Coal India CMD added that the higher domestic production can reduce imports and save foreign exchange.

Panelists also highlighted emerging opportunities in coal gasification, coal-to-chemicals and clean coal technologies. Secretary Dutt noted that government support, including viability gap funding and pilot projects in surface and underground coal gasification, is accelerating adoption. He added that revenues from coal can help fund green energy infrastructure, creating a balanced transition.

About India Energy Week

India Energy Week is the country’s flagship global energy platform, bringing together government leaders, industry executives and innovators to accelerate progress toward a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future. As a neutral international forum, IEW drives investment, policy alignment and technological collaboration shaping the global energy landscape.

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