India: Around 0.73 mnt of non-coking coal receives bids in recent SECL auctions

• Agrawal Fuel, Vedanta and BALCO emerge as top bidders
• Premium bids for high-CV grades indicate tightening regional supply

South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) allocated nearly 728,000 tonnes (t) of coal across two e-auctions held on 24 and 25 October 2025, supported by strong participation from industrial buyers and traders. The auctions reflected continued appetite for low- to high-CV grades, with G11 and G6 emerging as the most traded coal grades.

On 24 October, SECL sold around 430,000 t, led by G11 grade, which dominated with 318,000 t booked at an average of INR 2,139/t against a floor price of INR 1,418/t. Other notable grades included G7 (80,000 t at INR 4,103/t) and G9 (30,000 t at INR 3,432/t), both fetching strong premiums over reserve levels. Smaller parcels of G6 (2,000 t at INR 3,305/t) were also sold.

Among mines, Kusmunda OC contributed the highest volume at 200,000 t (G11), followed by Jagannathpur OC (140,000 t) and Khairaha UG (50,000 t).

Agarwal Fuel Corporation emerged as the leading participant, purchasing 49,350 t – including G7 (30,850 t at INR 4,333/t), G11 (12,500 t at INR 2,021/t), and G9 (6,000 t at INR 3,433/t). Vedanta Ltd. followed with 40,000 t of G11 at INR 2,458/t, while BALCO procured 21,450 t of G11 at INR 1,933/t. Other buyers such as Sky Alloys and Power and Jai Durga Multi-Trade actively secured small parcels of G7 and G9 grades at firm premiums.

The 25 October auction offered 298,650 t, led by G6 (131,000 t) and G8 (76,650 t) grades, along with smaller lots of G3, G7, G9, and G12. Rampur Batura was the top contributor with 100,000 t (G6 at INR 3,659/t), while Saraipalli, Kanchan OC, and Churcha Siding also saw healthy participation.

Shelter Infra Developers purchased 27,500 t, comprising G6, G3, and G9 grades at an average of INR 4,049/t, while Agarwal Coal Corporation booked 15,000 t of G6 at INR 3,825/t. Ambuja Cements secured 12,000 t of G3 at INR 4,188/t, reflecting rising cement sector restocking. Mangalam Cement was among other active buyers.

Market scenario

Both auctions reaffirmed strong buyer appetite for G11 and G6 grades, which cleared comfortably above their base prices. High-CV grades such as G3 and G7 continued to command notable premiums amid blending demand from power and metallurgical segments. Despite overall limited arrivals in October, SECL’s auctions reflected steady industrial coal demand ahead of winter, with private players and cement manufacturers remaining key participants.