Given the high global demand for and the ever-rising price of oil and the abundance of comparatively inexpensive coal in their own region, India and China have long been heavily dependent on it as a source of energy to meet the needs of their people, as also for national growth. China has the third largest and India the fourth largest coal reserves in the world. The importance of the coal sector to India's energy security cannot be underestimated.

Much concern has been expressed across the world over the resultant extent of CO2 emissions admittedly high, in these two countries. Given the scale of their energy demand even to meet their very basic needs, it would be vain to hope that reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved through the increased use of renewable energy sources