Coal India Limited, the country's largest coal producer would be participating in the 'Coal Prep' trade show this year, to be held in US, for scouting oppurtunities in coal washeries.
Speaking on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Marilyn Taylor, principal commercial officer of the US commercial service stated that this trade show was the largest one in the field of coal and mining sector.
Coal India was sending a delegation of eight members to this show, scheduled to reach Kentucky, US, by next week.
The coal and mining show would be held from April 27-30, this year.
Coal India was looking at commissioning around three of the 18 coal washeries to be developed with the help of private firms. Washing of coal helped in reducing the ash content and improve calorific value.
The average ash content in Indian coal was 35-38 per cent and washing helped it to reduce by seven to eight per cent.
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This apart, Taylor also invited Indian companies to invest in the United States. "We had always encouraged foreign direct investment (FDI) to the country since it was the only country in the world with the largest FDI," she said.
Taylor also stated that universities in the US were the best. "Students should increasingly use the oppurtunity to study here even during the downturn, while answering as to whether the US was losing its international students to countries of New Zealand, UK and Australia," she added.
Beth Payne, US Consul General in Kolkata claimed the upper limit for issuing H1 B visas would still remain 85,000 and would not be reduced.
Bilateral trade between India and US was expected to touch around $60 billion by the end of 2009.
West Bengal could help in strenthening Indo-US trade ties in sectors like information technology (IT), agro and food processing, chemicals and petro chemicals, suggested Sanjay Buddhia, president of ICC.