PM Modi in Melbourne
It was an icy six degrees Celsius in Melbourne last night, but inside Marvel Stadium, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a generous welcome at the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ community reception.
Some 20,000 Indian-origin people rocked up to see him, turning the stadium into a sea of cheers and anticipation.
Images from the extra-long red carpet for the two prime ministers have now been seen across both nations – the cameras getting every opportunity to capture the perfect angles, the beaming faces, the embraces, the hands held aloft in solidarity.
As they spoke from a deep-set stage dressed in elegant sophistication, two giant mandalas filled the space between them and the audience.
At Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, Anthony Albanese famously dubbed Narendra Modi “the Boss”, joking that he had seen Bruce Springsteen – “The Boss” – perform at the same venue. At Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, the home of AFL, reaching for a football reference in welcoming Mr Modi might have been a bridge too far. But he did speak of the audience a “living bridge” and addressed PM Modi as a “a friend of Australia, and a very dear friend of mine”.
Before him, Vic Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed Mr Modi to Australia’s “multicultural state, and education state.”
The biggest ovations were reserved for words of appreciation directed at the Indian Australian community. Jacinta Allan told the audience, “We value your people, your students, businesses, families and ideas… To Victoria’s strong Indian community, I say: you are welcome here.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was met with similar applause when he added, “Your commitment to Australia has made it stronger… we’re a better nation because of it.”
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It was wonderful to hear Mr Modi’s Acknowledgement of Country, at a time when this gesture is coming under scrutiny.
“On my third visit to Australia,” he said, “I wanted to meet you this time in Melb – and share a flat white.”
It seems the Indian PM had also got the Melbourne memo, seen in previous photo ops donning the city’s uniform of a black puffer jacket.
Referring to Mr Albanese as “Bharat ke mitr” (friend of India), Modiji brought on a phone salute for him. “When he speaks to Indian-origin Australians here – chha jaate hain (wins the crowd over)”.
Yet perhaps it was his observation about our lives here that resonated most: that many in the diaspora live in two worlds at once. “You live Australian lives – yahaan ki development mein jute hue hain, but bheetar ki Bharatiyata sahi salaamat hai.” You are helping build Australia, while your Indianness remains undiminished.
It is the same dual identity that some dismiss as a failure to assimilate, and others hail as Australia’s greatest multicultural strength – a ‘living bridge’ between nations.
It gave Mr Modi some choice words to bring on the cheers. “Doodh Australia ka hai, par chai… India ki,” he quipped, speaking, as he reminded the audience, as a self-described chaiwalla. The milk may be Australian, but the chai is Indian.
Winning over the audience early on, Mr Modi moved to brass tacks, outlining what he described as India’s rapid transformation under his leadership: from the Moon mission to ambitions for an Indian space station; from 5G to work on 6G; from Operation Sindoor to enhanced defence capability; from a trade agreement with one nation to negotiations with 40 others; from hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games to bidding for the 2036 Olympics. He pointed to new manufacturing ecosystems, advances in metro rail, automobiles and pharmaceuticals, 200,000 registered start-ups, and the adoption of digital public infrastructure at a scale running into the billions.
“Garv hua ke nahin?” Are you not proud?
Modiji introduced his new mantra ‘Grow more, achieve more’, repeating it so frequently – even asking the audience to chant it back to him – that the slogan did exactly what it was meant to do: stick.
“I liked that Modi was very interactive; people were involved,” said attendee Sharmila.
The cricket references were never far away. Both prime ministers harked back to their much-publicised lap of honour in a chariot at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium -where a somewhat awkward Mr Albanese rode alongside a beaming Mr Modi – while the Indian Prime Minister described this visit as his “hat-trick” and urged the diaspora to “hit fours and sixes” in service of their adopted country.
As a diaspora speech, Mr Modi’s address was rather predictable, a blend of emotion and aspiration. Add a touch of local flavour (although we expected more Melbourne references – remember Chatkazz and Jaipur Sweets from Sydney?), call-and-response chants, end on a patriotic note with chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai or Vande Mataram. In other words, part homecoming, part progress report, part campaign rally, and part call to action.
What was missing this time round, was the announcement of a ‘gift’ to the people: 2014 saw the announcement of the cultural centre at the Sydney Consulate, and 2023 the launch of the Brisbane Consulate.
Perhaps absent this time also, was the crackling energy that characterised Mr Modi’s 2014 and 2023 appearances, replaced by Melbourne’s signature coolness. Even the audience appeared more subdued.
Though the weather and V-Line disruptions earlier in the day did leave a few empty seats, a steady trickle of punters could be seen arriving from 3pm to enjoy the spectacular cultural show of dances from across India curated by organisers Australia India Foundation. A rendition of the classic ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ was particularly well enjoyed, a heartening nod for secularism.
“The energy from the audience was incredible; being up there was such a powerful and patriotic feeling,” MC Rhea Verma told Indian Link later.
The lull that followed after the performances ended, while the dignitaries were awaited, was palpable. (“Show us the cultural show,” commenters expressed on Indian Link’s YouTube broadcast).
Nonetheless, kudos to the Foundation for delivering a mega event where attendees were ushered in with minimal fuss, backed by enhanced security – including a tightly guarded police perimeter – and fastidious ticket checking ushers.
Perhaps the greatest indication that this was something political came from the three different protest groups outside, Aus Pill, Sikhs for Justice and Alliance Against Islamophobia decrying everything from human rights abuses to migration itself, but seemingly to little impact.
“The way I see it, there were over 20,000 supporters, and only 30 protesters, so it didn’t really affect me; nobody can be liked by all,” said attendee Sankith.
Equally, a boosted police presence ensured they were kept at bay, with added private security inside the stadium.
If Mr Modi had spoken of a diaspora living two lives at once, the final chant captured it perfectly. Borrowing Australia’s most recognisable sporting refrain, the chant went up: “Modi! Modi! Modi! Oi! Oi! Oi!”
