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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, 17 December 19
AUSTRALIA ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR TURNS SCROOGE ON COAL LOBBY: RUSSELL
Australia, which vies with Indonesia for the title of the world’s largest coal exporter, is planning for an electricity future where use of t ...
Tuesday, 17 December 19
BACK TO FUTURE FOR BUSH AS AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS MOVING AWAY FROM COAL NEWCASTLE - HERALD
Looking backwards could show the way forward for regional communities planning for a future beyond mining.
One of Australia’s ...
Tuesday, 17 December 19
CHINA TAIYUAN COAL TRANSACTION PRICE INDEX DOWN 0.01 PCT - XINHUA
China Taiyuan coal transaction price index stood at 133.16 points, down 0.01 percent week on week.
The index, released by China Taiy ...
Tuesday, 17 December 19
YEAR 2019: IT IS LOOKING SET THAT THIS YEAR WILL BE ONE OF THE SLOWEST IN TERMS OF DRY BULK NEWBUILDING ACTIVITY - ALLIED
With just two weeks remaining before 2019 comes to an end, it is now looking set that this year will be one of the slowest in terms of dry bulk new ...
Monday, 16 December 19
ULTRAMAX: A 63,000DWT SHIP FIXING DELIVERY FOR A SINGAPORE TRIP VIA INDONESIA, FOR RE-DELIVERY TO CHINA AT $11,000 - BALTIC BRIEFING
Capesize
It was one-way traffic for the Capesize market this past week, with all routes giving up value. While downward momentum may have slowe ...
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- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Planning Commission, India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- The University of Queensland
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Australian Coal Association
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- White Energy Company Limited
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
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