India added only 9.47 GW of thermal power capacity in FY26 — just 73% of the targeted 12.86 GW — as delays in equipment supplies, land acquisition and project execution slowed commissioning even as the country braces for peak electricity demand of nearly 270 GW this summer. The slowdown comes at a time when policymakers are increasingly relying on coal-based generation to support grid stability amid rising electricity demand and rapid renewable energy expansion.