Coal India plans Singapore office to expand overseas critical minerals investments

Coal India (CIL) is preparing to open an office in Singapore as it seeks to expand its overseas investments in critical minerals, according to sources familiar with the development.

The Singapore office is expected to support Coal India’s efforts to pursue overseas mineral assets and strengthen its presence in the critical minerals sector. The company has already applied to Singapore authorities to register the office, the sources said.

Coal India is exploring opportunities in minerals including lithium, copper, nickel and rare earth elements across countries such as Chile, Canada and Australia. The planned office is expected to help coordinate these overseas investment and acquisition efforts.

The move comes as India seeks to strengthen access to critical minerals that are important for clean energy, electric vehicles, batteries and other advanced technologies.

Coal India has previously pursued overseas projects. Around a decade ago, the company undertook a coal project in Mozambique through its subsidiary Coal India Africana Limitada (CIAL).

The company is also exploring opportunities in graphite, a key material used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing. Coal India has said that owning a graphite asset could support the country’s green energy transition.

Graphite is used as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries because of its relatively low cost and energy density. Demand for the mineral is expected to remain significant as electric vehicles and energy storage systems expand.

India currently imports around 69 per cent of its graphite requirements, covering natural and synthetic graphite as well as end-use products. 

Coal India has previously noted that the domestic graphite mining sector has relatively few players, creating opportunities for companies looking to enter the market.

The planned Singapore office represents another step in Coal India’s broader effort to diversify beyond its core coal business and build a presence in minerals considered strategically important for India’s energy transition.

Coal India alone accounts for more than 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal production.