Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Australia was marked not only by a raft of agreements aimed at deepening strategic ties but also by a series of remarks that blended diplomacy. During the visit, Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced 18 outcomes across defence, clean energy, critical minerals, maritime security, education, and technology.
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From describing the Indian diaspora as “sugar in milk” to comparing India-Australia ties with cricket and invoking the popular Hindi idiom “Ek aur ek gyarah”, Modi used colourful analogies to reinforce the growing partnership between the two countries.
Here are some of his quotes:
- Addressing a packed Indian community event in Melbourne, Modi likened the Indian diaspora to sugar that sweetens milk wherever it goes.“We Indians are like sugar in milk, they make it sweeter. Wherever we go, we spread love and goodwill. The milk in your homes may be Australian, but the tea is Indian.”
- During delegation-level talks, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remarked that the India-Australia partnership makes “one plus one equal to two.” Modi responded with a popular Hindi idiom. “Ek ke bagal mein ek do nahi ho raha, ek ke bagal mein gyarah ho raha hai.” (When one stands beside another, they don’t become two—they become eleven.)
- Highlighting India’s humanitarian outreach, Modi said New Delhi’s assistance is guided by humanity rather than nationality. “When India extends a helping hand, it does not look at passports; when India sends aid, it does not look at the colour of the passport. That is why the world places such great trust in India.”
- Speaking about India’s growing defence sector, the Prime Minister said recent military operations had demonstrated the country’s capabilities on the global stage. “The world is witnessing the capability and credibility of our defence sector. You must have seen the demonstration in Operation Sindoor. The explosions were taking place at the terrorists’ hideouts, and their echoes were reverberating across the world.”
- Emphasising India’s technological progress, Modi said the country had emerged as a global telecom leader. “Today, India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market. India is rapidly working on ‘Made in India’ 6G technology.”
- In one of his lighter moments, Modi used cricket to describe the evolving relationship between the two countries. “As we are here in Melbourne, the sports capital of the world, not talking about sports would be like not starting a cricket match after the toss.” He went on to compare bilateral cooperation with different formats of the game. “Cricket is the diplomatic language of India-Australia relations. That is why our meetings, too, resemble cricket: the agenda is focused like a One-Day match, decisions are swift like a T20 game, and the partnership is long and deep like a Test match.”
Also Read: PM Modi brings up Operation Sindoor in Australia: ‘Blasts hit terror camps, echoes were heard across the world’
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The two leaders held delegation-level talks as part of the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit, reviewing progress in bilateral cooperation across trade, investment, defence, critical minerals, education and people-to-people ties.
“A true friend of Australia”
Earlier in the day, Albanese described Prime Minister Modi as “a true friend of Australia” while addressing thousands of members of the Indian diaspora at a community event in Melbourne.
“As a true friend of Australia and a very dear friend of mine, it is an honour to host you this evening,” Albanese said, adding that the energy inside the packed venue reflected the strength of the Australia-India partnership.
“The energy that we feel in here tonight defines the Australia-India partnership. It is an enthusiasm and a dynamism that drives the positivity and promise of our two nations and peoples,” he said.
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Calling the Indian diaspora the “living bridge” between the two countries, Albanese said the community’s contribution had played a key role in deepening bilateral ties.
The Australian Prime Minister also fondly recalled his visit to India three years ago, when Modi hosted him in Ahmedabad.
“When Prime Minister Modi hosted me three years ago, we did a lap of Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium in a chariot. That was an experience I will never forget,” Albanese said, adding that the warmth he experienced in Gujarat was evident once again at Thursday’s gathering in Melbourne.
Noting that it is his third visit to Australia in 12 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the ties between India and Australia have reached great heights and the Indian diaspora has played a key role in this.
(With inputs from PTI)
