India coal gasification draws Adani, NTPC bids

That matters because the scheme is meant to do more than subsidize coal processing: it is a strategic industrial policy aimed at creating higher-value output from domestic coal and lignite while reducing India’s reliance on imported LNG, urea, ammonia and methanol. The ministry says those imports were worth about ₹2.77 trillion in 2025-26, underscoring the scale of the economic stakes.

The applications also help counter the view that the program had failed to attract industry interest after reports last week suggested there had been little response. The government rejected that assessment before the first window closed on Sept. 7, and has now opened a second application round under a rolling process that will reopen every two months as projects mature.

Investors will read the early participation as a signal that large integrated groups see a policy-backed opening in fertilizer, gas and metals supply chains, especially with the government aiming for 100 million tonnes of annual coal gasification capacity by 2030, including 75 million tonnes under this scheme. The Centre expects the programme to trigger ₹2.53 trillion of investment across about 25 projects and generate roughly 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.

For Adani, the plan adds another route into the fertilizers and industrial gases value chain. For NTPC, it extends a state utility already central to India’s energy system into lower-carbon fuel and gasification-linked products. The biggest risk now is execution: proposals still need to clear the scheme’s guidelines and request-for-proposal process before turning into funded projects.