Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a lavish welcome to Indian counterpart Narendra Modi as he landed in Sydney for his first visit in nine years. With India as the world’s most populous market, Australia is striving to build economic bridges with the country, especially as relations with China have soured.
The Prime Minister likened Modi to Bruce Springsteen, saying that he had brought the “spirit of the world’s biggest democracy” to Australia. The welcoming ceremony was held at the Qudos Bank Arena, a sprawling entertainment venue in the city’s Olympic Park, with Albanese introducing Modi to the audience.
Although the visit was primarily about building economic ties and reinforcing strategic partnerships, critics raised issues of Modi’s alleged clampdown on free speech and discriminatory policies toward minority groups in the democracy of 1.4 billion. Albanese took a diplomatic stance on these issues suggested that India was “responsible for its own international relations” and that Australia always stands for human rights.
Modi is making his visit to Australia in the run-up to national elections next year. Australia is looking to strengthen relations with India while attempting to grow economic ties and reinforce strategic partnerships in an effort to curb the rise of China’s growing assertiveness.
Modi’s diplomatic visit caps a busy week of activity and travel. Over the weekend, he was in Papua New Guinea, where he met with Prime Minister James Marape and pledged his support for the Pacific Islands. Days earlier Modi had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan.
Modi also met with several prominent Australian personalities, including international chef Sarah Todd and Australian singer Guy Sebastian. Several of these personalities were featured in videos published on Modi’s Twitter account, with Sebastian saying of Modi, “He was so warm and so kind.”
India assumes the Group of 20 (G20) presidency this year, playing host to a series of important events in the country, while marketing itself as a leader of the Global South. Modi is also gearing up for an election year in 2024, seeking to secure a momentous second decade in power.
While India grows increasingly close to the West and its allies, critics have accused Western leaders of ignoring some of New Delhi’s alleged human rights abuses that play out in the country, such as the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, a former leader of India’s main opposition political party.