Coal India Limited (CIL) has backed a phased rollout of the National Coal Exchange (NCE) as a measure to safeguard the country's energy security. The company argued that a gradual introduction would allow market participants and regulators to adapt to new trading norms while preserving steady coal supplies to critical consumers. CIL emphasised that a staged approach would reduce the risk of supply disruptions and allow for technical and regulatory refinements before wider deployment.

The NCE was presented as a platform to enhance price discovery and transparency across domestic coal markets, enabling clearer signals for production and procurement. CIL noted that better visibility of transactions would help power generators and other industrial buyers plan procurement more effectively and limit sudden spikes in procurement costs. The exchange was described as complementary to existing allocation mechanisms rather than a replacement, with arrangements envisaged to coexist with contractual supplies.

CIL advocated pilot phases that would test trading protocols, settlement systems and participant onboarding in selected regions before national expansion. The company indicated that feedback loops and monitoring frameworks would be critical to refine operational details and to ensure that state utilities and smaller buyers could participate without disruption. Coordination with state entities, miners and market infrastructure providers was highlighted as essential to align logistical and regulatory processes.

Industry observers were said to expect that a cautious rollout could strengthen domestic coal markets, improve supply chain resilience and support affordable power supplies for consumers. CIL pointed to the need for robust oversight to prevent market manipulation and to protect vulnerable buyers, while also encouraging broader adoption of transparent trading practices. The phased model was therefore presented as a pragmatic pathway to modernise coal trading while safeguarding energy availability.