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Wednesday, 20 November 19
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN COMMERCIAL COAL MINING IN INDIA? - DIPESH DIPU
 In August 2019, Government of India announced its approval for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for coal mining, processing and sale. Not that FDI in coal mining sector was new, but novelty in that was that government now permitted foreign ownership of coal mines for commercial sale of coal produced from such mines. He justifications provided by government sources included need for competition in a sector that has been traditionally dominated by government-owned companies Coal India Limited and Singareni Collieries Company Limited; need for enhanced production as here has been shortfall in meeting demand; and, need for newer technologies that may bring in sustainability to coal mining. These indeed are commendable objectives and opening up the sector for foreign participation may certainly be considered a step in the right direction. However, public policy needs to be grounded in realism, and the reality of attractiveness of commercial coal mining in India does not bode well for foreign participation.
The response of government-owned companies for coal blocks on offer for allotment for commercial coal mining was announced in early August 2019 provides the evidence. Nine coal blocks were put on offer for sale of coal in markets and the eligibility for these were restricted to government-owned companies including the state government-owned ones. There were, however, only three coal blocks[1] that received applications by NMDC Limited, Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation and Madhya Pradesh State Mining Corporation. This lukewarm response may indicate towards the market sentiments for commercial coal mining in India. It must also be considered here that the coal blocks for allotment for government-owned companies do not have the two-stage auction based bidding for winning the blocks and, thus, the pay-out required to win these coal blocks may be lower in comparison to coal blocks put out for auctions. So, even with lower additional pay-out to government in the form of premium the coal blocks have not found many takers. There may be several underlying economic reasons, which are amplified for foreign participants, and thus, require consideration to evaluate if this approval for FDI in commercial coal mining would have any impact and if it would meet its stated objectives.
The first and the foremost is the economic feasibility of these mines. The foreign, and indeed any private company, would have to participate in auction process for winning a coal block, and commit to a competitive premium to access the resources. This has been an impediment for private sector participation in India, given the evidence of coal blocks awarded for captive consumption in power and non-regulated sectors that include cement, steel and other approved end users. There seems to be some sanity dawning on participants on these auction with every successive rounds of auction, seen from the lower winning premiums, and hence, it may be expected that the trend may continue. Nonetheless, the premium will certainly erode the margins for commercial miners, the extent of this erosion would be a function of degree of competition for the coal blocks. The margins are also likely to be uncertain in view of the price volatility of coal, which in Indian market is pegged with CIL price and a certain premium that reflects typically the discount that IL prices tend to have over energy-equivalent international prices. This uncertainty of prices is likely to be confounded by the uncertainty in demand-supply gap that these commercial miners are required to fulfil. There has been a shortfall in supply in the recent past, evident from the rise in coal imports in the last two years even with the stated objective of the government to reduce coal imports. This may present itself as an opportunity. However, the question is whether this shortfall is likely to sustain, and thus, create a marketplace for commercial miners. With a slump in thermal power generation and nearly absent pipeline of new coal based projects, this assumption may be quite a big one to make and decide in favour of making foreign direct investment in Indian coal mining.
Other important risks pertain to project execution. There have been several impediments in coal mining project implementations, such as procurement of licenses and permits, acquisition of land and rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected people. These, apart from the procedural challenges, involve risk of reputation. Business practices on all these accounts in mining sector have often been marred with controversies and have led to perceptions of externalities in these processes having significant influence on the outcomes. Foreign participants in Indian mining have been wary of these, and hence, have had little success to show even though they have had offices and a few exploration and contract mining projects in India. Apart from reputation, the risks in procurement of licenses and land acquisition create the risks of project delays, which may then translate into cost escalations, thereby impacting project economics. Coal mining projects may have such challenges in attracting foreign direct investment.
There are challenges of talent shortage and financing as well. Innovative technologies that the foreign miners are likely to bring in India will require high quality geo-statisticians, geologists, mine planners and mining engineers. India does produce graduates in these areas of study but quantities do no necessarily reflect quality, which are further compounded by the brain drain of talent into other industries, primarily, information technology. Mining industry in general, and coal mining in particular, has not been able to retain relent in the last decade or so, with advent of opportunities for the smart geoscientists and engineers in alternate industries. Foreign mining companies may find this crippling.
There are challenges in financing too. Coal mining projects may have been good candidates for resource-based financing, but that has not happened on account of several factors, not the least of those being dominance of government-owned companies priding themselves on debt-free balance sheets, and the quality of geological information that may be inferior to global standards. The market for debt for coal mining then often reduces itself to equipment financing with the equipment being securitised to the lenders. Globally preferred model of equipment leasing is still in its relatively early stages of comprehension and acceptance in Indian mining. With limited options of raising finances, the higher degree of equity investments may also be a deterrent for foreign investors as the may have comparable projects competing for scarce capital.
Coal mining industry has been on a downward spiral globally. Foreign large miners have divested or are divesting their stakes in coal projects. Global bankers have committed themselves to not financing coal and coal based power projects. Insurance companies are shying away from coal projects too. The ecosystem for coal mining project execution is dying. Epitaphs are being written on coal and its demise is predicted by governments, investors and policy analysts wold over. But for the coal addiction of Asia, China and India in particular, the demise may have been sooner. Under such gloomy outlook for the industry, with coal mining companies filing for bankruptcies frequently, it would be tough to get these foreign companies to look at Indian destinations favourably. An industry staring at terminal decline may not witness new investors, and old ones that may have been facing severe challenges in their home countries to look out for opportunities in India.
Optimism at this point of time of foreign miners participating in Indian coal mining sector, that presents a challenging business environment, may be misplaced. Only when the government calls for applications for coal blocks for sale of coal with permitted participation for foreign direct investment that the final picture shall emerge.
By Dipesh Dipu
Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Expert
This article originaly published on economictimes and Linkedin
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Tuesday, 13 February 24
WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE NATURAL GAS SPOT PRICE IN 2024 AND 2025? EIA
We expect the U.S. benchmark Henry Hub natural gas spot price to average higher in 2024 and 2025 than in 2023, but to remain lower than $3.00 per m ...
Monday, 12 February 24
US THERMAL COAL EXPORTS HIT 5-YEAR HIGHS AND TOP $5 BLN IN 2023 - REUTERS
United States exporters of thermal coal earned more than $5 billion in 2023 as they shipped out more than 32.5 million metric tons of the high-poll ...
Tuesday, 06 February 24
NEW E-FUELS PROJECT TO MAKE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING CLIMATE-NEUTRAL - RINA
Transport and trade on the ocean blue must be made much greener. This is the goal of the new €17 million European GAMMA project, where compani ...
Tuesday, 06 February 24
INDIA SEES ANNUAL COAL OUTPUT UP 10.9% IN 2024/25 - REUTERS
India expects domestic coal output to increase by 10.9% to 1.13 billion metric tons in the fiscal year ending March 2025, a senior government offic ...
Tuesday, 06 February 24
INDIA'S COAL PRODUCTION INCREASES BY 10.3% TO 99.73 MILLION TONNE IN JANUARY - PTI
The country’s coal output rose 10.3 per cent to 99.73 Million Tonne (MT) in January, over the same month in the previous fiscal.
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- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Planning Commission, India
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- The University of Queensland
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Australian Coal Association
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
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