Australia will send its first-ever First Nations business mission to India later this month to deepen trade and investment ties between Indigenous Australian enterprises and India’s mining and renewable energy sectors.

The mission, organised by the Perth USAsia Centre and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia on behalf of the Australian government, will run from 26 October to 3 November 2025. It will cover Mumbai (26–28 October), New Delhi (28–30 October), and Kolkata (30 October–2 November).

A delegation of eight Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) companies, all First Nations-owned, will travel to India. The First Nations peoples, Australia’s Indigenous communities, are among the world’s oldest continuous civilisations and were historically the country’s first diplomats, traders, and innovators.

The delegation will explore partnership opportunities and showcase their expertise at India’s largest mining event, the International Mining, Equipment and Minerals Exhibition in Kolkata.

Strengthening Indigenous economic engagement

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, said the initiative highlights Australia’s ongoing commitment to advancing Indigenous rights and enabling First Nations communities to benefit from India’s growing economy.

“India offers an enormous opportunity for Australian First Nations industries, whether it’s exporting agrifood and native botanicals, art and design, or developing cyber, clean energy, or mining solutions,” Green said.

The eight Western Australian firms participating in the mission represent a diverse range of innovations — from electric vehicle conversions and sustainable chemicals to engineering, safety, and cryogenic services.

Among them are Electric Power Conversions Australia, which retrofits diesel mining trucks to electric; Woollahara Group, a developer of fuel-efficiency chemicals; and Carey Mining Group, Western Australia’s largest fully First Nations-owned mining company.