Current Affairs - National - Discussion

Coking coal is crucial for steel production, accounting for 42% of steel production costs, and infrastructure development. India's reliance on imports (85% of its coking coal needs) highlights the need to enhance domestic production. The NITI Aayog's recommendation aligns with global trends, such as the European Union's declaration of coking coal as a critical raw material. Including coking coal in the critical minerals, list will enable policy changes to leverage India's 16.5 billion tonnes of medium coking coal reserves and achieve self-reliance while adhering to Net Zero commitments by 2070.