Many of India's power plants that use imported coal have not operated at full capacity recently because they have found it difficult to compete with power generated from cheap domestic coal.

A shortage of natural gas, which accounts for over a third of the country's power output, plunged large areas into hours of darkness last year.

In the 2020-21 financial year, state-run Coal India Limited, the world's largest coal-mining firm, recovered RM6.5 million worth of stolen coal in raids it conducted jointly with the authorities.

The partial easing of the coal import ban comes after the Australian and Chinese foreign ministers met last month seeking to reset the frosty diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Daily coal production in Jharia this year jumped to 100,000 tonnes, up from an average of 80,000 tonnes until 2021, local mining officials say.

To access the US$20 billion worth of grants and concessional loans, Indonesia has committed to capping power sector emissions at 290 million tonnes by 2030 - and with a peak that same year.

The climate-heating fossil fuel offers job prospects, and local economies depend on these workers' incomes, yet there is resentment over the impact on groundwater, farms and forests.

Plants near populous regions and the capital New Delhi will have to pay penalties to operate from end-2024, while utilities in less polluting areas will be penalized after end-2026.

Australia, the world's top coal exporter, has benefited from sanctions and freight blockages linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which have driven up demand for coal and other commodities.

Several European governments have requested that back-up power be made available from idled coal plants or those due to close due to lower gas flows from Russia as a result of disputes triggered by its invasion of Ukraine.

Several Chinese cities broke new records for high temperatures as scorching heat and contrasting relentless rains wreaked havoc, with forecasters expecting weather extremes to linger for days.

Germany, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands have signalled that coal-fired power plants could help see the continent through a crisis that has sent gas prices surging and added to the challenge facing policymakers battling inflation.