LNG Could Transform Western Australia's Relationship with India

Indian demand for gas has the potential to transform Western Australia’s (WA) relationship with the South Asian nation, according to Premier Colin Barnett.

In an interview given to the West Australian Barnett said India's thirst for LNG had the potential to underpin a relationship with WA to rival Japan's from the 1960s and China's from the mid-1990s.

Ahead of his first visit to the country as Premier, Barnett also flagged establishing a second WA trade office in India.

"So we have got Japan absolutely mature, China approaching maturity - India is the next big frontier for Western Australia," Barnett told the newspaper.

India's LNG imports had been growing at an average 22 per cent a year for a decade, making it an exciting time to visit, he said.

Barnett leaves for a tour of Asia on Tuesday.