Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed today a large gathering of the Indian community in Australia at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. In a special gesture, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Anthony Albanese, also joined the diaspora event.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister thanked the diaspora for their gracious welcome. He also expressed gratitude for the gracious presence of Prime Minister Albanese and his steadfast commitment to India-Australia relations, including the welfare of the Indian diaspora.
Prime Minister highlighted the remarkable progress made over the past decade in the bilateral partnership. He underlined that the complementarities between the two economies positioned India and Australia as natural partners in shaping a secure, prosperous and resilient partnership.
Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the contribution of the Indian diaspora in Australia to the bilateral relationship, describing them as a living bridge between the two countries. He noted that the community, even while playing an important role in Australia’s social fabric, had preserved their cultural traditions and were sharing their colour, warmth and vibrancy with the local people.
Underlining the presence of a large community of Indian students in Australia and the growing number of Australian Universities opening campuses in India, he noted that education was one of the strongest pillars of the bilateral relationship. Prime Minister elaborated on the rapid progress taking place in India, based on sustained high growth, policy reforms, digital revolution and next-generation infrastructure development.
He stated that the country was making new strides in the fields of communication technology, semiconductors, smart phone manufacturing and ‘Make in India’ defence exports. He further added that India’s democratic strength, combined with its talent, technology and innovation, were creating new opportunities for its global partners.
He also underlined that India’s approach was not just to focus on its own progress, but to walk hand in hand with its friends and partners. Prime Minister called upon the Indian community to contribute with ideas and expertise to achieve the goal of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The event was attended by members of the Indian diaspora from diverse fields, including students, professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, community leaders and representatives of cultural organisations. The gathering reflected the depth of people-to-people ties that characterizes the India-Australia relationship. Australia is home to about a million people of Indian origin.