Australian companies tap Indian partners amid critical mineral push

Pilot project in Jharkhand and Hyderabad tie-ups mark early gains as Australian mining technology companies eye local subsidiaries and Indian PSUs explore Queensland's mineral assets

India’s push for mining innovation and critical minerals is drawing mining technology firms from Australia’s Queensland into partnership with local firms, signalling a new phase of resource-sector collaboration between the two economies.

 

Queensland is a major mining state in Australia, with a vast reserves of metallurgical and thermal coal apart from copper, lead, zinc, bauxite and critical minerals like vanadium, graphite, and rare earth elements.

 

Out of the nine mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies that took part in the Queensland trade delegation to India last week, two have already tied up with local partners in Hyderabad, while another has launched a pilot project with a major miner in Jharkhand, according to Abhinav Bhatia, senior trade and investment commissioner --South Asia, Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ).

 

“These initial successes form a strong foundation for the next phase of engagement, including potential establishment of wholly owned subsidiaries in India,” Bhatia told Business Standard.

 

The nine companies include PX4, Veldon Group, Mineral Technologies, Nome, Rim-Lock, Megapulse, NuevoTech Software, IHC Mining and XDR Drilling which already has presence in Gujarat.

 

Technology and manufacturing partnerships

 

Queensland’s METS firms are targeting India’s eastern and central mining belts, where demand for automation, digital mine planning, and safety solutions is rising.

 

“Commercial hubs such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bhubaneswar continue to be preferred destinations for establishing subsidiary or representative offices and R&D centres. These locations offer proximity to mining regions as well as better connectivity, infrastructure, and staff amenities,” Bhatia said.

 

For manufacturing facilities, southern and western states such as Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat are being evaluated for their industrial infrastructure and policy incentives despite being relatively distant from key mining belts.

 

“Queensland mining equipment and technology firms continue to attract interest from major PSUs such as Singareni Collieries, Hindustan Copper, Coal India, and National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC),” Bhatia said.

 

“Additionally, several private sector mining companies, including Hindustan Zinc, Vedanta, Tata Steel, and JSW Steel, are regular users of innovative mining technologies from Queensland and Australia,” he said.

 

Critical minerals collaboration deepens

 

Parallel to technology partnerships, Queensland is working to expand its role in India’s search for critical mineral security.

 

The Australian state, home to 19 of Australia’s 31 officially designated critical minerals, including vanadium, graphite, tungsten, cobalt, high-purity alumina, and rare earth elements, has emerged as a natural partner for India’s investment and offtake ambitions.

 

“Many Indian companies, both in the private and government sectors, have expressed interest in exploring collaboration with Queensland for offtake agreements as well as investments in these assets,” Bhatia said.

 

Indian PSUs including Singareni Collieries, Coal India, NMDC, Hindustan Copper, and NTPC Mining Ltd have been mandated by the government to secure critical mineral supplies through overseas acquisitions.

 

With Queensland’s rich mineral base and advanced mining ecosystem, it is a natural partner for such strategic investments, Bhatia added.

 

Under the ‘Queensland-India Trade & Investment Strategy 2025-28’, the state’s exports to India reached AUD 14.4 billion in 2024, underscoring the growing trade relationship.

 

While it is difficult to quantify the value of investment at this early stage but given the size of India’s mining industry and the growing demand for advanced technologies, it is expected that India will attract a significant share of future investment by Queensland METS companies, Bhatia said.