India nearly doubled its planned coal mining capacity from a year ago in 2025, driving a global rise in proposed coal mine developments, Reuters reported on August 13, citing a report released by Global Energy Monitor.

India's planned coal mining capacity climbed to 638 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) in 2025, surging 93.92% from 329 Mtpa a year earlier, data showed. The gain accounted for nearly all of the growth in the global pipeline, which expanded 11% year on year to 2.52 billion tonnes per annum.

The rise reflects India's push to raise domestic coal production in response to rising power demand. It comes even as renewable energy capacity grows at a rapid pace and analysts project a slowdown in global coal demand growth.

The expansion in planned capacity also occurs despite International Energy Agency forecasts that global coal consumption will plateau by 2030. The U.S.-based research group noted that wind and solar power surpassed coal in the global electricity mix for the first time in 2025.

Much of India's newly proposed capacity is located in the eastern states of Jharkhand and Odisha. The government has set a production target of nearly 1.15 billion tonnes in FY2025-26 and 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030.

However, the report cautioned that the fast buildup in planned mining capacity could leave producers vulnerable if coal demand weakens faster than anticipated.

While proposed coal mines increased, global actual capacity additions fell by nearly 40% year on year in 2025 to 113 Mtpa, largely due to declines in China and Australia, the report said.