‘He’s the boss’: cult of Modi on display as 20,000 Indians welcome him in Australia

PM Modi arrived to chants of his name at a Sydney stadium, where he gave a 45-minute speech about India’s accomplishments on the world stage

India and Australia’s ties have been growing, with a new Centre for Australia-India Relations to be based in Sydney’s ‘Little India’

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Indian PM Narendra Modi arrives with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the Qudos Bank Arena. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 10:35pm, 23 May 2023Updated: 11:49pm, 23 May 2023

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rock star status among the diaspora was on full display on Tuesday as he opened his address to a gathering of compatriots in Australia, to chants of “Modi, Modi, Modi”.

More than 20,000 people turned up for a “community reception” for Modi at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney – a stadium venue usually reserved for big-budget pop concerts and shows.

After some four hours of entertainment, including Indian cultural performances, Modi arrived at the venue dressed in his usual crisp kurta, accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“The last time I saw someone on the stage here was Bruce Springsteen, and he didn’t get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got,” Albanese said before inviting his counterpart to the stage. “Prime Minister Modi is the boss!”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about India’s global highlights as an economic, technology and political powerhouse and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s welcome address also carried similar undertones. Photo: Bloomberg

In a speech reminiscent of the ones he gave when he was last in Australia in 2014, as well as in places like New York and Silicon Valley, Modi roused the crowd with details of India’s global highlights as an economic, technological and political powerhouse.

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