New Delhi, Jan. 30 -- Coal will remain a key pillar of India's energy mix as the country aims to triple its per capita energy consumption over the next two decades, Union Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said at India Energy Week 2026.

"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," Dutt said during a panel discussion.

Referring to the Economic Survey 2025-26, he said that coal makes up about 55 percent of India's energy mix and generates over 74 percent of the country's electricity. India's total installed power capacity is close to 514 GW, of which around 247 ...