India: Mongolian coking coal trial shipment gains momentum through proposed Russia corridor

• Initial 11,000-12,000 t shipment under technical evaluation
• Proposed route could test alternative supply corridor

Eurasia Energies Pvt Ltd is working towards an initial trial shipment of approximately 11,000-12,000 tonnes (t) of Mongolian coking coal to India, with the material currently undergoing technical evaluation by an Indian steel mill. The proposed shipment is intended to assess both the coal’s industrial suitability and the operational feasibility of a new Mongolia-Russia-India logistics corridor.

According to a communication dated 2 September 2026 to the Embassy of Mongolia in New Delhi, Eurasia Energies has sought assistance in coordinating with relevant railway and transport authorities for the proposed movement.

Proposed logistics corridor under evaluation

The envisaged route involves transporting coking coal from Mongolia through Russia to a suitable port in the Russian Far East, including Vladivostok or Vostochny, followed by seaborne shipment to India.

The company is seeking clarity on railway routing, wagon and rake availability, rail capacity, border-crossing and transit arrangements, freight tariffs, estimated transit time and cargo handling requirements for the trial shipment.

The logistics assessment will be critical because the commercial viability of Mongolian coal in India will depend not only on the material’s quality but also on the competitiveness and reliability of the transport chain.

Trial to assess technical, commercial feasibility

The proposed shipment is expected to provide an industrial-scale assessment of Mongolian coking coal for Indian steelmaking. Indian mill’s technical evaluation will determine whether the material meets the required specifications and can be commercially considered alongside established coking coal supply sources.

Subject to the successful completion of the trial and subsequent commercial decisions by Indian steel mill and the Mongolian supplier, the initiative could potentially develop into a larger and recurring coking coal supply programme for India.

The development could also support broader Mongolia-India economic cooperation by creating an alternative transport corridor for Mongolian mineral resources to reach the Indian market. However, the initiative’s scale-up will depend on the outcome of the technical evaluation and the ability to establish commercially viable and consistent rail-sea logistics.

India’s coking coal imports increased to 64.31 million tonnes (mnt) in FY’26, registering a 13.5% y-o-y growth compared with 56.65 million tonnes (mnt) in FY’25. The rise in imports reflects strong domestic steel production, higher blast furnace utilisation, and limited availability of high-quality domestic coking coal. Australia retained its position as India’s largest coking coal supplier, with shipments rising to 34.65 mnt in FY’26 from 30.22 mnt in FY’25. Other sources were – US, Russia, Mozambique and Canada.