June 24 (Reuters) - India’s coal stock at thermal power plants has reached a record high of 58.25 million tonnes, enough to meet 25 days of consumption, the government said on Tuesday, bolstering energy security ahead of the monsoon season. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The record stockpile comes as India braces for monsoon rains, which often disrupt coal mining and transportation. CONTEXT

India, the world's second-largest coal consumer, has ramped up domestic coal production to meet rising power demand and reduce reliance on imports.

The milestone comes amid a broader push to expand coal-fired capacity by 80 GW by 2031–32, even as the country targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. BY THE NUMBERS

India's thermal coal imports fell 8% year-on-year in financial year 2024-25 to around 169 million tonnes due to record domestic production and reduced imported coal blending, according to commodities consultancy BigMint.

Coal's share in India's power mix dropped to 70.7% in May, down from 74.0% a year earlier and the lowest level since June 2022, according to Grid India data.