Picture : Twitter/ ANI
The India-Australia relationship is based on mutual trust and respect, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as he addressed a special community event.
Modi along with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese attended the event at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. Albanese welcomed Prime Minister Modi to the event, saying “Prime Minister Modi is the boss”.
PM Modi also announced , that India will open a consulate in Brisbane to fulfill the long-pending demand by the diaspora.
Meanwhile a street in Australia was on Tuesday officially renamed as “Little India” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese during a special community event , reported PTI .
Harris Park is a hub in Western Sydney where the Indian community celebrates festivals and events such as Diwali and Australia Day.
#WATCH | People click selfies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese as the two leaders meet them after the community event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. pic.twitter.com/jiFlcb6Xnz
— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2023
An absolute delight connecting with the Indian diaspora at the community programme in Sydney! Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
An absolute delight connecting with the Indian diaspora at the community programme in Sydney! https://t.co/OC4P3VWRhi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2023
“Harris Park is a thriving, dynamic, multicultural hub known for its blend of cultures and large Indian population,” the City of Parramatta said on its website.
“Sometimes referred to as ‘Little India’, Wigram, Marion and Station Streets in Harris Park are home to more than 20 eateries, a variety of shops selling colourful saris, glittering arm bangles and Indian spices that will transport you straight to Mumbai, it said.
The announcement to declare Harris Park as ‘Little India’ was made by Australian Prime Minister Albanese as he welcomed Modi at the community event.
The first proposal for officially naming the area ‘Little India’ was made in 2015.
Earlier attempts to formally declare the suburb as ‘Little India’ was stalled after the Geographic Names Board told Parramatta Council to stop using the term in marketing material because it “creates confusion”.
Parramatta Council has said it is continuing discussions with the Geographic Names Board and is yet to receive a formal application to assign the name ‘Little India’.
Harris Park, a small suburb next to Parramatta is home to migrants from Lebanon, Italy, Greece, and China.
Parramatta has the fastest-growing population of the Indian diaspora. I hope to see the relations between India and Australia grow further under the leadership of PM Modi. I am humbled and excited about my role. I want to create a city which is sustainable, smart inclusive and… pic.twitter.com/BBvuK58D9I
— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2023
Members of the Indian community of a western Sydney suburb have also renewed calls to name their area as ‘Little India’.
In the last 10 to 15 years it has become the go-to spot for Indian migrants, local media reports said. A 2021 census revealed that 45 per cent of the 5,043 Harris Park residents have Indian roots, the report said.
