India and Germany have signed a new technical cooperation project aimed at promoting the safe closure and sustainable repurposing of coal mines nearing the end of their operational life. The agreement was signed on July 22, 2026, between the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ India).
The signing ceremony was attended by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey, German Ambassador Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Dr. Ewa Suwara and senior officials from the Ministry of Coal.
Commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union, the project has a total value of €10 million and will run until 2030.
The initiative will combine Indian and German expertise to develop scientific and sustainable approaches for mine closure and the productive reuse of former mining sites. It will also focus on strengthening technical capacity, facilitating knowledge exchange and promoting global best practices.
The partnership aims to transform former coal mining areas into productive assets that can continue to benefit local communities and the environment. The project further reflects the growing India-Germany partnership and the shared commitment of India, Germany and the European Union towards sustainable economic development.