PM Modi arrives in Sydney, gets rousing welcome by diaspora

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sydney on his second visit to Australia, kicking off the third and final leg of his three-nation tour.

Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell, Indian Ambassador to Australia Manpreet Vohra and several other officials welcomed PM Modi at the airport.

A large number of Indian diaspora was also present at the airport and the hotel to greet Prime Minister Modi who will continue discussions with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese building on the India-Australia Annual Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in March and meetings at the G7 Summit and Quad Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima over the weekend.

Over the next two days, both leaders will discuss trade and investment, including efforts to boost trade between the two countries through a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, and work to strengthen people-to-people links, renewable energy, and defence and security cooperation.

Prime Minister Modi will also meet Australian business leaders to drive Australia’s growing trade and investment relationship with India and take forward opportunities from the India-Australia CEO Forum held in Mumbai in March.

During the visit, the Prime Ministers will attend a community event in Sydney to celebrate Australia’s dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora, a core part of our multicultural community.

Prime Minister Modi last visited Australia in 2014.

Albanese said that he is also looking forward to visiting India in September for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, the world’s premier forum for economic cooperation.

“As friends and partners, the relationship between our countries has never been closer. I look forward to celebrating Australia’s vibrant Indian community with Prime Minister Modi in Sydney,” he said in a statement on Monday.