PM Modi Lands in Australia After Visiting Indonesia's Prambanan Temple

New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday landed in Australia on the second leg of his three-nation tour during which he will hold talks with Australian PM Anthony Albanese and interact with the Indian diaspora. Before flying out to Australia, Mr Modi, along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, visited the centuries-old iconic Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta, marking the inauguration of a joint conservation project for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Prime Minister reached Melbourne to a warm welcome ahead of the third annual India-Australia summit, scheduled for Thursday. “Landed in Melbourne, Australia. This visit will add vigour to the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. I look forward to the talks with Prime Minister Albanese. I will also have the opportunity to interact with the Indian diaspora, which is an important pillar of our partnership,” Mr Modi posted on X.

In Melbourne, before summit talks on Thursday morning, Mr Modi will be addressing the CEOs forum ”to drive growing economic ties and support implementation of Australia-India collaboration in trade and investment across sectors”.

Later in the day, during the summit talks between the two Prime Ministers, the Indian side is expected to raise issues such as delays in processing visa applications for Indian students. The two nations are also expected to discuss the proposed supply of uranium by Australia to India. Negotiations are also ongoing on the trade front between the two nations to ink a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement. The talks will also be a “boost to the partnership in areas such as critical minerals and supply chains”.

In a rare departure from established protocols signifying the strength of bilateral ties, governor-general of Australia Sam Mostyn will travel to Melbourne to meet Mr Modi.

Later in the evening, the Prime Minister will engage with a large number of Indian diaspora members as part of the “Melbourne meets Modi” event. People of Indian origin now make up almost one million of all Australians. The Indian diaspora is Australia’s fastest-growing large diaspora community.

In his departure statement in New Delhi on Monday, Mr Modi had said that his visit will strengthen the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. "I shall, in my discussions with Prime Minister Albanese, take forward our relations in the areas of defence and security, trade and investments, education and mobility and people-to-people ties," he said.

Earlier this week, Mr Albanese had referred to Mr Modi as his “friend” and said he is looking forward to welcoming him to Australia. The Australian PM said the bilateral ties between the two nations “have never been more consequential” and that the partnership “fosters peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific”.

Before flying out to Australia, the Prime Minister, in his last engagement in Indonesia during the current visit on Wednesday, visited the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta along with the Indonesian President. At the temple complex, Mr Modi and Mr Prabowo unveiled a plaque marking the commencement of the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) conservation and restoration project at the iconic Prambanan temple.

In a statement on the Prime Minister's engagement in Indonesia in the morning, New Delhi said, “The temple complex stands as an enduring symbol of the shared civilisational and cultural heritage between India and Indonesia. The conservation project follows the understanding reached between the two leaders during Mr Prabowo’s state visit to India in January last year.”

Mr Modi posted footage of his taking an aerial view from his aircraft of the majestic Prambanan temple complex on X. He was also seen shaking hands with Mr Prabowo in the special aircraft in a gesture of the strong ties between the two nations.