Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency, Kolkata, 24th February, 2026: The 19th Indian Coal Markets Conference 2026 organised by mjunction services limited kicked off today, under the theme “COALosseum: The Coal Battleground” bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, miners, power producers, logistics players and global market experts for two days of deliberations on the future of India’s coal sector.
V S Maharaj, ED-ICT, Coal India Ltd said Coal India is in favour of phased introduction of sale of coal through the coal exchange. “We are reform-aligned not reform-resistant. We support modernization, but reform must be calibrated, phased and aligned with national energy security,” he said.
Niladri Bhattacharjee, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat, believes Coal Exchange would be more successful in a supply-comfortable or supply-surplus scenario. “Surplus coal situation would be good for coal exchange. It will keep prices in check despite market transaction charges and encourage the market to shift from its current D2C character” Bhattacharjee said.
Both Bhattacharjee and Maharaj believe prices should get settled at lower levels during trades at the exchange.
Giving an overview of the current state of the conference, Vinaya Varma, MD & CEO, mjunction services limited said: “On one hand, we are witnessing rapid economic growth and rising energy demand. On the other, we are committed to energy transition, sustainability, and decarbonisation. In between lies coal: indispensable today yet constantly fighting hard to exist in world with other competing forces of energy such as solar, wind, hydro & even nuclear.”
Coal or renewable, whatever be the form of energy, electricity costs need to be affordable.
"Our power tariffs should be competitive. To power the data centres, power should not only be green but also affordable." Pankaj Sapate, Executive Director (Fuel), Mahagenco, commented.
Despite the rapid rise of renewable energy, coal continues to be the reliable, cost effective and round the clock source of energy and remains the backbone of India's energy security, said Raj Bandhu Santosh, VP – Fuel Management, Adani Power Ltd.
Sessions through the day assessed demand trends across industries such as power, cement and sponge iron.
The 2-day event will also examine logistics issues, mining technology, sustainable equipment deployment and operational innovation, before concluding with networking engagements and the ICMC Awards.
About mjunction:
mjunction services limited, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL, is India’s largest B2B e-commerce company, leveraging technology to create value across industries for over two decades. Founded in 2001 with the launch of its pioneering metaljunction platform to bring transparency and efficiency to steel sales, mjunction has since diversified into multiple sectors, offering a comprehensive portfolio that includes e-auctions, e-procurement, loyalty solutions, e-marketplaces, agri-commodities, financing, and specialized services. With innovative offerings like mjGRO for loyalty management, mjunction serves over 140 marquee clients in both public and private sectors. With a strong focus on innovation, transparency, and customer success, mjunction continues to drive digital transformation in B2B commerce, enabling businesses to trade and procure with greater efficiency, scale, and trust.