Canberra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Australia in July as part of a broader regional tour that will also take him to Indonesia and New Zealand, the local media reported on Friday citing government and diplomatic sources.
The Australia Today reported that PM Modi will travel to Indonesia first, before heading to New Zealand on July 7 and 8 and then expected to arrive in Australia for a two-day visit on July 9 and 10, marking his return to the country amid deepening strategic, economic and diaspora ties between the two nations.
“The visit is expected to include engagements in both Sydney and Melbourne. The Australia Today understands that PM Anthony Albanese’s office is keen to host Modi for official engagements in Sydney, reinforcing the diplomatic and strategic partnership between Canberra and New Delhi,” the online news portal reported.
“However, the major public-facing event with the Indian diaspora is most likely to take place in Melbourne, which has emerged as the preferred host city for a large-scale community gathering. According to sources, Australian and Indian officials have already conducted preliminary inspections of two Melbourne venues with capacities of around 14,000 and more than 35,000, respectively,” it added.
It mentioned that both venues were shortlisted due to their indoor infrastructure and roof coverage, making them suitable for Melbourne’s winter conditions in July.
“The visit is also triggering competition among key business and community organisations seeking to host high-level engagements with the Indian Prime Minister. The Australia India Business Council, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year, is understood to be working to secure a special event with Modi. At the same time, the Australia-India CEO Forum is also in contention to host a similar high-profile gathering. Sources indicate that only one organisation is likely to be selected to host an official event, with discussions ongoing behind the scenes,” The Australia Today report mentioned.
PM Modi visited Sydney in May 2023 at the invitation of his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese to participate in the Quad Leaders’ Summit,
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Albanese, interacted with Australian CEOs and business leaders, and addressed the Indian diaspora at a community event in Sydney.
The visit, coming just two months after the State Visit of Albanese to India in March 2023, resulted in several significant outcomes, including signing/exchange of Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA) and Terms of Reference of Taskforce on Green Hydrogen, announcement to open a new Consulate General of India in Brisbane and opening of Australian Consulate General in Bengaluru.
“Expectations growing Indian PM Narendra Modi will visit Australia in July as part of a broader regional tour. If the visit is locked in then it will have been a pretty decent line-up of visitors to Australia over just four months: Carney, von der Leyen, Takaichi, Modi,” Stephen Dziedzic, the Foreign Affairs reporter for national public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), posted on X on Friday.
(IANS)
