Amidst enthusiastic chants of ‘Hail Modi’, ‘Vanakkam Modi’, ‘Namaste Modi’, and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, the Indian community in Sydney embraced the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. The Prime Minister is set to engage in constructive discussions with Australian leaders, business communities, and diaspora members during his two-day visit.
The anticipation for Modi’s arrival had been building since his last visit to the country in 2014, and community members expressed their great hopes for his tenure. As Modi greeted and shook hands with the eagerly awaiting crowd, one member of the Indian community stated, “Modi ji, we have great hopes from you.”
Upon landing in Sydney, Modi took to Twitter to express his gratitude, stating, “Landed in Sydney to a warm welcome by the Indian community. Looking forward to various programs over the next two days.”
As a guest of the Australian government, Modi’s visit to Australia spans from May 22 to May 24. He was received at the airport by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who, prior to Modi’s arrival, released a statement expressing his honor in hosting the Indian Prime Minister. Albanese noted the warm welcome he received during his visit to India earlier this year and emphasized the commitment shared between Australia and India for a stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The statement acknowledged the importance of their joint efforts in light of China’s assertive actions and expanding influence in the region.
During his visit, Modi will engage in talks with his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Albanese, and deliver an address to Australia’s Indian diaspora, a vibrant and diverse community of over 800,000 individuals. This visit marks the final leg of Modi’s three-nation tour.
Modi’s historic visit in 2014 made him the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia since Rajiv Gandhi. At the Sydney SuperDome in Olympic Park, he addressed a crowd of 20,000 people and expressed his belief that more Indian leaders would visit Down Under in the coming years.
