Kloppers told a briefing in Melbourne last week that demand from India indicates it will become a substantial market, particularly for metallurgical coal, according to an Australian Associated Press report.

"What you have in India, it is very energy short but largely self-sufficient in iron ore and bauxite," Kloppers said.

"India is going to drive our energy business more, [our] metallurgical coal business more, and continue to drive the base metals and nickel business, but less so the iron ore business, for example."

Kloppers added that demand for uranium from India was uncertain because it had not entered discussions for uranium supply, and would not do so until agreements were in place to ensure the metal was not used for military purposes.