Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi is in Australia on a six-day visit to decide on strategies to strengthen partnership between the two nations in the field of strategic critical minerals vital to India’s bid to transition to clean energy sources. This is the first meeting between Joshi and Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King since the election of the Anthony Albanese Government. The visit will focus on joint investment possibilities in lithium and cobalt projects.
The meeting will also see Joshi building upon an MoU signed between Khanij Bidesh India, a joint venture of three central public entities, namely, National Aluminum Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL) under the Ministry of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, and Critical Minerals Facilitation Office, Australia.