Business Standard reportesd that global miners are a little surprised that India, enormously rich in iron ore, is becoming a major importer of iron ore and could end up importing up to 15 million tonnes

Mr Sam Walsh, chief executive of Rio Tinto, the world's biggest and lowest-cost producer of iron ore, finds it bizarre that "We are starting to export ore from Australia to India. I know India has sufficient reserves" to take care of its growing demand.”

Mr RK Sharma director general of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries said "A series of wrong policy moves by the United Progressive Alliance government led to the collapse of our iron ore production from 226 million tonne in 2009-10 to 140 million tonne in 2013-14. Our exports during this period were down from 118 million tonne to 15 million tonne. We have created room for the world's leading mining groups to build new capacity and sell more ore in the world market."