New Delhi, Dec. 18 -- Global demand for coal is expected to plateau gradually and decline around 2030 as other power sources, especially renewable energy, natural gas and nuclear take over. The largest absolute increase in coal consumption to 2030 is expected to take place in India, where demand is set to rise by 3% per year on average, leading to an overall increase of 225 million tonnes, the International Energy Agency's Coal 2025 report has said. And the fastest growth is expected in Southeast Asia, where demand is set to increase by over 4% per year by 2030, IEA added. In contrast, the European Union and the United States register further declines of 153 Mt and 106 Mt, respectively, as phase-out policies and fuel switching accelerate. In the rest of the world coal demand is expected to decline by 179 Mt, reflecting mixed trends across Africa, South Asia (excluding India) and other emerging markets. To be sure, coal's share in India's electricity mix is likely to fall from 70% in 2025 to 60% by 2030, as renewable and nuclear power generation continue to grow in India. HT reported on July 16 that India has surpassed its target of installing 50% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, achieving a key nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement five years ahead of the 2030 target. India has a goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil based capacity by 2030 through a set of actions that will bolster renewable energy generation further. As of August 2025, India's total installed power generation capacity stood at 495 GW, including 223 GW of coal fired capacity (plus around 30 GW of captive coal-fired power plants), 123 GW of solar PV, 52 GW of wind and 42 GW of hydropower, plus smaller figures for gas, nuclear and others. While the government continues to expand non-fossil generation capacity in line with its 500 GW target for 2030, this year India commissioned 20 new coal-fired power plants totalling 14 GW, with additional capacity under construction, the IEA stated. "Among major producers, India is forecast to have the highest output growth. The biggest uncertainty is in China, where even small policy changes or demand fluctuations can affect coal output sufficiently to have an impact on international markets," the report stated....