Canada invites Coal India to explore mining opportunities

Country wants the company to invest in the coal sector, mainly in metallurgical and coking coal

Canada today invited world's largest miner Coal India Ltd to explore mining opportunities in the country. "We want Coal India to come to Canada and invest in the coal sector, mainly in metallurgical and coking coal," Canadian High

Commissioner Stewart G Beck said here today on the sidelines of an interactive session with members of CII eastern chapter. He also met senior officials of Coal India Ltd (CIL) to discuss opportunities for the company.

A few Indian steel companies have started importing some grades of coal from Canada. CIL was planning to import coal on behalf of its power plant consumers to meet the shortfall in supply and tender has already been floated seeking bids for the same.

But as CIL is looking at thermal coal to feed the power plants, it is looking at coal sources closer home. Beck also expressed hopefulness for higher growth in bilateral trade with India. "In 2013, the total bilateral trade was around USD 5.5 billion, a growth of 12 per cent over last year. We are expecting a higher growth this year," he added.