Pralhad Joshi meets high-level Australian delegation

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has held discussions with a high-level delegation led by former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and requested the delegation to collaborate with India regarding sharing of technology in areas such as surface and underground coal gasification.

The delegation had called on Joshi to discuss expanding trade and economic relationship between India and Australia, especially regarding broader developments in the energy sector, including the use of Australian resources to support India's energy needs and ambitious policy agenda, the coal ministry said in a statement.

"... Joshi, held discussions with a high-level delegation led by former Prime Minister and Special Trade Envoy of Australia Tony Abbott here yesterday," the statement said.

Abbott was accompanied by Barry O’Farrell AO, Australian High Commissioner and Hugh Boylan, Economic Counsellor, Australian High Commission.

The Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, requested the Australian delegation to collaborate with India regarding sharing of technology in areas such as surface and underground coal gasification and extraction of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) etc.

Informing the delegation about the opening of the coal sector under the present regime, the Minister highlighted the importance of coal as a major source of energy in India and the focus of the government is giving the right fillip to further augment coal production in India.

The minister also highlighted the importance of Australia as a source of critical and strategic minerals for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing in India.

Coal Secretary Anil Kumar Jain, Ministry Secretary Alok Tandon and other senior officers of both the ministries participated in the discussion.