LA HULPE - Indian and Chinese bidders are front-runners to be awarded contracts for iron ore and oil projects in coming months, the country's mining minister said on Wednesday. The winner of the Hajigak iron ore project will be announced in early November, Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Belgium.

"Two Indian bidders have emerged as the most potential companies for Hajigak," he said, adding that the bids came from one individual Indian company and one Indian consortium.

The winning bid for oil and gas exploration in northern Afghanistan's Amu Darya field will be decided in early December, Shahrani said. (Reuters)