Coal India Limited (CIL) has secured in?principle approval from its board for the partial disinvestment and prospective listing of its two largest subsidiaries, South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), following a board meeting on 23 March 2026. The Maharatna public sector undertaking has signalled a strategic shift to unlock latent value from core assets and to sharpen the market focus on individual operating units.

Under the SECL plan the board approved an offer for sale of up to 25 per cent of CIL equity in the subsidiary and authorised SECL to issue fresh equity shares of up to 10 per cent of its post?issue capital. The combined route is intended to provide an exit for the parent while raising growth capital for SECL and enabling a clearer valuation of standalone operations.

For MCL the board cleared an offer for sale of up to 25 per cent of equity as part of a similar listing strategy. MCL has recently crossed 200 million (mn) tonnes (t) of annual production and stands as the top profit contributor among CIL subsidiaries, which reinforces the case for separate market recognition.

Market participants expect the separate listings to trigger a sum?of?the?parts re?rating that may lift Coal India’s consolidated valuation by allowing investors to value high performing assets independently. Coal India shares were trading near Rs 475 and the dividend yield continued to be a meaningful attribute for income?seeking investors amid this strategic development.

The approvals will be forwarded to the Ministry of Coal and the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management for final clearance and the filing of draft red herring prospectuses will provide precise valuation details. Investors and analysts will monitor the DRHP filings and timetable closely as the disinvestment plan progresses and the market digests the likely impact on parent and subsidiary capital structures.