After his visit to Japan and Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Australia for 3 days from May 22 to May 24. He will hold talks with Australian PM Anthony Albanese and interact with the active Indian diaspora in Australia.
Background Information
PM Narendra Modi began his 3-nation tour with a visit to Japan for the G7 Summit there, where he met with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and interacted with other world leaders in a fruitful meeting.
Afterwards, he travelled to Papua New Guinea for the third FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation) summit and met his counterpart, James Farape. There, Modi and the leaders of 14 different Pacific Island nations had discussions on a variety of topics like climate change, food and energy security, trade, and mutual cooperation.
Image Source: PTC News
From Papua New Guinea, he flew directly to Australia for the last leg of his tour.
Landing in Australia
PM Modi landed in Sydney, Australia, on Monday and was greeted with “Welcome Modi” plastered on the sky. Upon arrival in Sydney, he was received by Australian High Commissioner to India Barry o’Fannell alongside other Australian officials.
Image Source: Indian Express
On May 23, he addressed the Indian diaspora in Australia and, through a press conference, announced the opening of a new Indian Consulate in the city of Brisbane. Australia has a large and active Indian community of over 600,000 people.
PM Modi also met with Australian CEOs, business leaders, and prominent figures based in Sydney and highlighted India’s economic importance. Harris Park in Sydney was also renamed “Little India” in light of the huge Indian presence there, with a gateway being unveiled.
On May 24, Narendra Modi is set to meet Australian PM Anthony Albanese for bilateral talks, with a special emphasis on trade and security as China is aggressively expanding its influence in the region. Similarly, increasing economic and business cooperation between the countries is also a top priority.
Image Source: Trend Radars
They will also attend an Indian community event in Sydney to showcase the importance of Indians in Australia’s multicultural society.
Reactions to Modi’s Visit
Both leaders were enthusiastic to meet each other and looked forward to having fruitful discussions. Anthony Albanese said in a tweet that India and Australia have a shared commitment to a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
In a tweet, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “The final leg of the three-nation tour begins! PM Narendra Modi arrives in the vibrant city of Sydney on his second visit to Australia. Two days of constructive engagements with Australian leadership, the business community, and diaspora members await.”
Conclusion
The PM’s tour of Australia will lead to further cooperation between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region and will further strengthen the relationship between India and Australia. The Indian diaspora will act as a unifying element and will increase cooperation between India and Australia in the future.