CIL Opens E-Auction Access to Foreign Coal Buyers

06 Jan 2026 CW Team

Coal India has recently permitted coal consumers from neighbouring countries to directly participate in its Single Window Mode Agnostic (SWMA) e-auctions, effective 1 January 2026. Buyers from Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal seeking to import coal from India can now bid directly alongside domestic consumers.

The move follows approval by CIL’s Board, which revised the SWMA auction framework to enable foreign participation while safeguarding domestic coal requirements. A senior company official said the decision reflects a calibrated approach to market expansion, enhancing transparency, competition and global market integration.

Under the revised mechanism, foreign buyers are allowed to participate through a digital bidding process. Earlier, overseas consumers could access CIL coal only through Indian traders, who were permitted to buy and sell coal without end-use restrictions.

The updated scheme incorporates all operational and procedural modalities for foreign buyers, including one-time registration, advance electronic payments and exports through notified logistics channels. Payments will be processed transparently in line with Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) norms.

Buyers from Nepal may make payments in Indian Rupees or US Dollars, while buyers from Bangladesh and Bhutan are required to pay in US Dollars, with valuation linked to the Indian Rupee. CIL had earlier engaged with prospective overseas consumers to assess demand and finalise enabling provisions.

Infrastructure Energy

02 Feb 2026

Tata Power Arm Crosses 10 GW EPC Milestone

Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL) has achieved a major milestone by executing 10 gigawatts of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) renewable energy projects to date, reinforcing its position in India’s clean energy infrastructure sector. According to the company, the executed portfolio comprises 4.2 gigawatts of in-house projects and 5.8 gigawatts of third-party projects. Of the total 10 gigawatts commissioned so far, 9.7 gigawatts are solar projects and 290 megawatts are wind projects. In the first nine months of FY26, TPREL commissioned 1.88 gigawatts of EPC renewable en..

SCI Seeks Bids for Eight New Gas Carriers

The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has invited bids to acquire eight new very large gas carriers (VLGCs), reinforcing its expansion plans while supporting India’s domestic shipbuilding industry. According to the tender, six of the vessels must be constructed in India, while the remaining two can be built by international shipyards. The requirement aligns with the government’s policy push to strengthen local shipbuilding capacity and comply with Press Note 3 regulations governing foreign participation in sensitive sectors. SCI has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) to identify el..

Union Budget 2026–27 Focuses on Growth, Jobs and Infrastructure

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman recently tabled the Union Budget 2026–27 in Parliament, outlining a growth-led roadmap anchored around three ‘kartavyas’—accelerating economic growth, building people’s capacities, and ensuring inclusive development across regions and sectors.The Budget estimates non-debt receipts at Rs 36.5 lakh crore and total expenditure at Rs 53.5 lakh crore, with capital expenditure at about Rs 11 lakh crore. Public capex is proposed to rise to Rs 12.2 lakh crore in FY27. The fiscal deficit is pegged at 4.3 per cent of GDP, whil..