Mickel will meet with key Indian business and government leaders, including India’s largest private steel company, Tata Steel.

He will also speak at two major investment functions in Kolkata where the 8th International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian Government, is being held on November 22-25.

A number of Queensland companies will take part in the Australian Pavilion at the International Mining and Machinery Exhibition, including the Queensland Government’s mine safety research organisation, Simtars.

“Simtars recently won an order for its Camgas monitoring system from India’s Singareni Colleries Company,” Mickel said.

The system determines the toxicity and explosive potential of gases in underground mines. China bought six Camgas systems early last year.

“Mine safety is a priority in India. Queensland has developed extensive expertise in this area and is in a position to assist Indian companies with mine safety programs and procedures,” Mickel said.

Mickel said Queensland is a well-established mining and minerals powerhouse and is now ranked with Johannesburg, Montreal and Santiago as a global centre for mining and processing support.

“Mining and mineral operations account for more than 50 percent of our total merchandise exports and we are significant global players in coking and thermal coal, mineral sands, copper, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, bauxite, alumina and aluminium,” he said.

“As well as the mining activity itself, we have over many years built up a world-class capability in mining support services which are used in operations in Australia and exported through the world."

India is currently Queensland’s third largest export destination and in 2005-06, the state exported more than $2.85 billion in merchandise exports to India.