NEW DELHI: Indian Energy Exchange’s (IEX) subsidiary, Indian Coal Exchange, has applied to the coal controller organisation (CCO) for a licence to operate a coal exchange in India.Once the licence is granted, Indian Coal Exchange will operate as a physical delivery-based coal trading exchange, providing an “organised, transparent and technology-enabled marketplace” for coal trading by bringing buyers and sellers together on a single, neutral platform.IEX said in a statement that Indian Coal Exchange was incorporated on June 1 with an authorised share capital of Rs 100 crore. The exchange will facilitate trades at designated delivery points, enabling efficient price discovery and wider market access, it added.“Backed by IEX’s 18 years of experience in building transparent, technology-driven and market-based trading platforms, the Indian Coal Exchange will mark the group’s entry into the coal market. Complementing IEX’s electricity market business, the Indian Gas Exchange, India’s leading natural gas trading platform, and its role in facilitating I-REC issuance in India, Indian Coal Exchange will further broaden the group’s energy market offerings across the energy value chain,” the company said.Govt formally opened the door for exchange-based coal trading in India by notifying the Coal Exchange Rules, 2026, which laid down a regulatory framework for setting up and operating coal exchanges. The rules aim to bring greater transparency, competition and market-based price discovery to the country’s coal sector.The ministry designated the coal controller organisation as the authority responsible for registering and regulating coal exchanges. Eligible entities will be authorised to establish and operate coal exchanges, frame market rules and bye-laws, and facilitate coal trading.
