Mumbai, Aug. 14 -- India's coal demand is projected to rise to around 1.6 billion tonnes by 2030, prompting a shift towards more efficient and market-driven mechanisms for coal trading as the country moves from a scarcity to a surplus scenario, Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said on Friday.

Speaking at the Global Commodity Conclave 2026 in Mumbai, Dutt said the coal exchange would create a transparent marketplace for buyers and sellers and eventually lay the foundation for a coal derivatives market.

"Coal demand is projected to rise further to an estimated 1.6 billion tonnes by 2030, and under this situation, where the country has moved from a scarcity scenario to a surplus scenario, a shift that underscores the need for more efficient,...