MELBOURNE, July 9/INDIAN ABROAD NEWSDESK
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the Indian community in Australia as the driving force behind the remarkable growth in Australia-India relations, telling a packed gathering in Melbourne that the partnership between the two countries has reached new heights because of the contribution of the diaspora to both nations, according to India’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
According to India’s PMO, Prime Minister Modi began his address by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land before greeting the multicultural audience in Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati. He thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan for joining the community event, describing the gathering as “houseful” and “a blockbuster” while saying Melbourne had “stolen the show” with its enthusiastic welcome.
Reuters reported that Prime Minister Modi noted this was his third official visit to Australia, the highest by any Indian Prime Minister, saying it reflected the remarkable progress in Australia-India relations over the past decade. He told the audience that while governments had worked to deepen bilateral ties, the greatest credit belonged to the Indian diaspora for strengthening the partnership through its contribution to Australia’s economy, society and multicultural fabric.
According to India’s PMO, Prime Minister Modi said Melbourne had embraced Indian culture, pointing to the popularity of “Little India” precincts, Indian markets and cultural festivals across the city. Referring humorously to Melbourne’s shopping districts, he joked that even those who did not intend to shop often returned home with purchases because of the attractive bargains.
According to India’s PMO, Prime Minister Modi praised the Indian community for integrating into Australian society while preserving its cultural identity. Drawing applause from the audience, he remarked that “the milk at home may be Australian, but the tea is Indian. The vegetables and lentils may come from Australia, but they’re cooked with Indian spices.” He said the imagery reflected how Indians have embraced Australia while remaining connected to their heritage. Earlier in his speech, he compared Indians to “sugar dissolving in milk”, saying they blend naturally into society while making it sweeter wherever they live through their values, hard work and community spirit.
ABC News has reported that Australia’s Indian-born community is among the country’s fastest-growing migrant groups and has become a significant contributor across business, healthcare, education, research, information technology and public life. The broadcaster said the community continues to strengthen Australia’s multicultural identity while building closer links with India.
According to India’s PMO, Prime Minister Modi also outlined India’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, saying the country’s guiding philosophy was “Grow More, Achieve More.” He highlighted India’s achievements in digital governance, noting that more than 700 million people use DigiLocker, where over 8.5 billion documents are securely stored, while the eSanjeevani platform has facilitated more than 480 million teleconsultations across the country.
Reuters reported that Prime Minister Modi said India had become the world’s second-largest 5G market after extending network coverage to 99 per cent of its districts and was now developing indigenous 6G technology. He also highlighted advances in manufacturing, space technology, defence production, metro rail expansion and the country’s rapidly growing start-up ecosystem, which now includes more than 200,000 registered start-ups.
According to India’s PMO, Prime Minister Modi said Australia’s strengths in innovation, education and research complemented India’s scale and talent, creating opportunities for deeper collaboration. He welcomed the growing presence of Australian universities in India and expressed confidence that cooperation in education, technology, critical minerals, sports and innovation would continue to expand.
Reuters reported that the Melbourne address was one of the key public events of Prime Minister Modi’s Australia visit, alongside bilateral meetings and business engagements. The news agency said the speech reinforced the strategic importance of Australia-India relations while recognising the Indian diaspora as one of the partnership’s greatest assets and a lasting bridge between the two democracies.
