Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep11: India is pushing hard into coal gasification. The government’s ₹37,500-crore scheme backs the effort. Seven companies, including Adani and NTPC, have applied for incentives. China’s long experience in this technology is now drawing attention.
A Bigger Ambition Than Before
India targets 100 million tonnes of gasification capacity by 2030. The scheme could catalyse ₹2.5-3 lakh crore in investment, the government says. That figure remains a projection, not committed spending. The goal extends beyond burning coal for heat. India wants syngas that feeds chemical production too.
From Industrial Heat to Chemicals
India has long used gasifiers for coal-to-thermal purposes. These typically use air and steam, producing nitrogen-rich “producer gas.” That gas serves industrial heating needs. The newer coal-to-chemicals push works differently. It uses oxygen instead of air, alongside steam. This limits nitrogen in the resulting syngas. Cleaner syngas can then become methanol, ammonia, urea, hydrogen or synthetic natural gas. Roger Kumar of CASE Group noted these are genuinely different applications, each needing distinct gasifier design.
Why China’s Experience Matters
China has worked on coal gasification for over six decades. It leads commercially, with gasifiers and downstream chemical industries built around them. Kumar argues India has technically gasified 100 million tonnes before, but mostly for thermal use, not chemicals. That distinction matters for what India still needs to learn. Chinese manufacturers have also developed expertise in entrained-flow gasifiers, per a 2025 NITI Aayog workshop.
India’s High-Ash Coal Problem
Indian coal often carries 30-45% ash content. That’s significantly different from many coals used abroad. NITI Aayog’s workshop flagged challenges around ash chemistry and equipment matching. This means no imported gasifier can simply be installed unchanged. Technology must be adapted specifically for Indian coal. Foreign expertise offers a starting point, not a ready-made solution.
A Working Precedent
Talcher Fertilisers’ coal gasification project has already involved Chinese engineering input. Talcher is also among the seven scheme applicants. That doesn’t prove Chinese systems handle all Indian coal varieties. It does show technology interaction is already underway.
Access Versus Self-Reliance
India’s government has kept its scheme technology-agnostic. Indigenous technologies are explicitly encouraged too. The real strategic question isn’t China versus self-reliance. It’s how fast India can absorb proven methods while building its own expertise. Coal gasification, notably, isn’t a zero-carbon process. Hydrogen made from coal shouldn’t be confused with green hydrogen.
The Diplomatic Backdrop
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival for the BRICS summit adds context, not substance. No gasification agreement between the two countries has been announced. The industrial question stands on its own merits.
The Bottom Line
India has coal, capital and ambition. It lacks mature coal-to-chemicals experience. Learning from China’s technology, while adapting it to Indian coal, may be the fastest route to genuine self-reliance.
