Coal will continue to remain the backbone of India’s energy system as the country works towards tripling its per capita energy consumption on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, said on the third day of India Energy Week 2026 in Goa.
Addressing a leadership panel on Coal’s evolving role in a secure energy mix charting a balanced and pragmatic approach, Vikram Dev Dutt stressed the need for realism in discussions on energy transition. He said that for India, affordable and dependable baseload power is an imperative rather than a choice. The focus, he noted, is on a calibrated phase down of coal use rather than an abrupt phase out, keeping in view development needs and ground realities.
The Secretary said coal underpins India’s growth requirements and will continue to do so even as renewable energy capacity expands in line with climate commitments. He added that clean coal technologies, coal gasification and coal-to-chemicals initiatives are key to ensuring a balanced transition while maintaining energy security.
Offering a global perspective, Kyle Haustveit, Assistant Secretary for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy, United States Department of Energy, said coal continues to play a critical role in ensuring energy security worldwide. He observed that reliable, affordable and secure energy remains essential and coal provides stability regardless of weather variability or market volatility. Haustveit highlighted significant opportunities for India and the United States to collaborate in areas such as clean coal technologies, coal gasification, carbon utilisation and trade in high-quality metallurgical and coking coal.
From the industry side, B Sairam, Chairman and Managing Director, Coal India Limited, said coal will act as a bridge fuel and an enabler in India’s energy transition. He noted that India’s per capita energy consumption remains about one-third of that in developed economies and as demand increases, coal will continue to provide firm and dispatchable power while renewable energy and storage technologies mature. He added that higher domestic coal production would also help reduce imports and save foreign exchange.
Panel discussions also underscored emerging opportunities in coal gasification, coal-to-chemicals and advanced clean coal technologies. Vikram Dev Dutt said the government is supporting these efforts through measures such as viability gap funding and pilot projects in surface and underground coal gasification. He added that revenues generated from coal can play an important role in financing green energy infrastructure, helping ensure a pragmatic and inclusive energy transition.
India Energy Week is the country’s flagship global energy platform that brings together government leaders, industry executives and innovators to advance a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future through policy alignment, investment and technological collaboration.
