India Coal Briquettes HS2701 Import Data 2025 March Overview

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import: Key Takeaways

India’s Coal Briquettes (HS Code 2701) imports in March 2025 reveal a heavy reliance on Indonesia, which dominates with 41.59% weight share but lower unit prices, signaling bulk procurement of cost-effective, lower-grade briquettes for industrial energy needs. Buyers face concentration risk but can mitigate it by diversifying to higher-value suppliers like Australia. This analysis, covering March 2025, is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import Background

What is HS Code 2701?

HS Code 2701 covers coal; briquettes, ovoids, and similar solid fuels manufactured from coal, primarily used in energy generation and industrial processes. These products are critical for power plants, steel manufacturing, and cement production, driving consistent global demand due to their cost-efficiency and energy density. India’s reliance on coal briquettes under HS Code 2701 reflects its industrial and energy needs, particularly for high-volume, low-cost fuel sources.

Current Context and Strategic Position

In March 2025, India remained a top importer of coal briquettes (HS Code 2701), with Indonesia as a key supplier, highlighting the country’s dependence on cost-sensitive, bulk coal imports for energy security [ytrade.com]. The Indian customs tariff structure for HS Code 2701 remained stable, with differentiated duties for subcategories like bituminous and coking coal [eximguru.com]. This underscores India’s strategic positioning as a major coal importer, necessitating vigilance on trade policies and supply chain dynamics to mitigate energy sector risks.

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import: Trend Summary

Key Observations

India's import of Coal Briquettes HS Code 2701 reached $2.67 billion by volume weighing 6.05 billion kg in March 2025, marking a significant surge in both value and physical shipments for the month.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The March 2025 import value rose 12.7% month-over-month from February’s $2.37 billion, while volume more than doubled from 3.15 billion kg—reflecting heavy stockpiling ahead of India’s summer power demand peak and monsoon-related supply constraints. This volume-heavy trend aligns with India’s strategy of securing high-volume, lower-cost solid fuels, as unit prices fell sharply amid competitive global markets and bulk purchasing behavior typical in energy raw material sectors.

External Context and Outlook

India’s import surge was driven by sustained high demand for cost-effective energy, with Indonesia remaining a key supplier [yTrade]. No major policy shifts affected HS Code 2701 tariffs in early 2025 (yTrade), supporting stable import flows. Looking ahead, demand should remain robust given India’s industrial growth and ongoing reliance on thermal coal, though price sensitivity may keep volumes high even if values fluctuate.

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import: HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In March 2025, India's import of Coal Briquettes under HS Code 2701 was heavily concentrated in lower-grade coal, specifically sub-code 27011920 for non-anthracite and non-bituminous coal not agglomerated, which accounted for over half the value and most of the weight share. According to yTrade data, this product had a low unit price of $0.30 per kilogram, indicating a focus on high-volume, cost-efficient energy imports. An extreme price anomaly was present in sub-code 27011290 for bituminous coal, with a unit price of $469.37 per kilogram, but it was isolated due to minimal quantity and is excluded from further analysis.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous sub-codes fall into two main categories based on quality and price: lower-grade coal like 27011920 and 27011210 with unit prices under $0.30 per kilogram, and medium-grade coal including anthracite (27011100) and other types (27011910 and 27011990) with prices ranging from $0.67 to $1.12 per kilogram. This structure shows that India's Coal Briquettes HS Code 2701 import is primarily composed of fungible bulk commodities, where trade is driven by volume and standard grades rather than differentiated products, aligning with energy sector demands for raw fuel.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For India Coal Briquettes HS Code 2701 Import in 2025 March, the bulk commodity nature implies low pricing power for importers, necessitating a strategic focus on securing stable, low-cost supplies from major exporters like Indonesia, as supported by [yTrade]. Market players should prioritize volume negotiations and cost efficiency over product differentiation to manage risks in this high-volume trade.

Check Detailed HS 2701 Breakdown

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import: Market Concentration

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

For India Coal Briquettes HS Code 2701 Import in 2025 March, Indonesia is the dominant supplier with a 41.59% weight share but only a 31.57% value share, indicating lower unit prices around $0.33 per kg for cost-effective, lower-grade coal. This disparity shows a focus on bulk, affordable energy imports to meet high demand.

Partner Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

Two main clusters emerge: bulk low-grade suppliers like Indonesia, South Africa, and Mozambique offer high weight volumes at lower costs, suited for India's industrial energy needs due to geographic proximity and trade agreements. Higher-value suppliers such as Australia and the United States provide coal with better quality or specific grades, reflected in their elevated value-to-weight ratios, likely for specialized applications.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Buyers should prioritize stable, bulk procurement from Indonesia while monitoring geopolitical risks, as no major policy changes were reported in March 2025 [yTrade]. Diversifying sources to include Australia and others can mitigate supply disruptions and balance cost with quality for long-term energy security.

Table: India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) Top Partner Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Partner Countries Profile

India Coal Briquettes (HS 2701) 2025 March Import: Action Plan for Coal Briquettes Market Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

The India Coal Briquettes Import 2025 March market under HS Code 2701 is a high-volume, low-price commodity trade. Price is driven by coal grade differences and bulk procurement from cost-competitive partners like Indonesia. Supply chain implications focus on securing stable, low-cost volumes for energy security, with limited pricing power for importers due to standardized product nature.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Coal Briquettes Market Execution

• Use HS Code 2701 sub-code data to negotiate based on coal grade and volume, ensuring cost efficiency for bulk energy needs.
• Target high-frequency, high-value buyers with long-term supply contracts to secure stable revenue and reduce market volatility.
• Diversify sources beyond Indonesia to include Australia or the US for quality backup, mitigating geopolitical supply risks.
• Monitor buyer frequency patterns to anticipate demand cycles and optimize inventory, avoiding overstock or shortages.

Core Takeaway

Success in India Coal Briquettes Import 2025 March hinges on data-driven volume management and source diversification, not product differentiation. Prioritize trade intelligence for resilient supply chains.

Take Action Now —— Explore India Coal Briquettes Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in India Coal Briquettes Import 2025 March?

India’s coal briquettes import surged in March 2025, with a 12.7% month-over-month value increase and more than doubled volume, driven by pre-summer power demand and monsoon-related stockpiling. The bulk commodity nature of imports, dominated by low-grade coal, reflects a focus on cost-efficient energy supply.

Q2. Who are the main partner countries in this India Coal Briquettes Import 2025 March?

Indonesia is the dominant supplier, accounting for 41.59% of weight share, followed by South Africa and Mozambique for bulk low-grade coal. Australia and the U.S. supply higher-value coal for specialized applications.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across India Coal Briquettes Import 2025 March partner countries?

Price differences stem from grade variations: low-grade coal (e.g., sub-code 27011920) averages $0.30/kg, while medium-grade (e.g., anthracite, 27011100) ranges from $0.67 to $1.12/kg. Indonesia’s lower unit prices reflect its focus on bulk, cost-effective supply.

Q4. What should importers in India focus on when buying Coal Briquettes?

Importers should prioritize long-term contracts with dominant bulk buyers, who drive 79.14% of trade value, and diversify sources to mitigate risks from over-reliance on Indonesia.

Q5. What does this India Coal Briquettes import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers like Indonesia benefit from stable, high-volume demand, while higher-grade exporters (e.g., Australia) can target niche markets. The concentrated buyer base underscores the need for reliability in bulk transactions.

Q6. How is Coal Briquettes typically used in this trade flow?

Coal briquettes are primarily used as raw fuel for India’s energy sector, meeting industrial and power generation demands through high-volume, low-cost imports of standardized grades.