Govt looks to ease norms to attract global coal miners, industry sceptical

India is looking to lower advance payments and offer larger mining blocks to attract global companies to invest in its coal sector for the first time, but industry sources say the measures may not be enough to draw in big international miners.

India plans to float global tenders for the first time for coal mining blocks before end-2019, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in August, a move that could end Coal India Ltd's near-monopoly on the fuel.

The auctions, to be aimed at paring back the nation's coal imports, are intended to attract global miners such as Glencore PLC, BHP