When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Melbourne on 9 July, a date widely reported but not yet officially confirmed, thousands are expected to gather at Marvel Stadium for what organisers are calling a historic diaspora event. More than 400 organisations have registered as Welcome Partners, while nearly 31,000 people signed up before registrations closed in June.
The Australia India Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation promoting cooperation between the two countries, is organising the reception under the banner “Melbourne Meets Modi: Vision, Partnership, Progress”. Community groups, business leaders, students, professionals and cultural organisations are expected to take part.
The visit would mark Modi’s third trip to Australia, following visits in 2014 and 2023. While Sydney is expected to host official bilateral engagements with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this time, Melbourne has emerged as the venue for the large-scale public gathering.
The backdrop to the visit is significant. India and Australia are no longer simply trade partners but increasingly strategic ones. Last month, Australia, India, the United States and Japan unveiled a new Quad Critical Minerals Framework, committing to mobilise up to $20 billion in government and private sector support to strengthen supply chains for minerals essential to clean energy, advanced technologies and regional security. Australia possesses reserves of at least 21 of the 49 critical minerals identified by the Indian government and is seen as a key supplier as India expands its clean energy and advanced manufacturing ambitions.
Yet the relationship has not been without its complications. Pradeep Taneja, Deputy Associate Dean, International (India) in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne and a Senior Lecturer in Asian Politics, told The Indian Sun, “The Modi visit will provide a further impetus to Australia-India relations, which seem to have stagnated a bit as the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations have hit a few snags even as bilateral trade has been boosted by the implementation of the ECTA.”
For Professor Mohan Yellishetty, a leading expert in sustainable mineral resources at Monash University’s Department of Civil Engineering, the visit carries significance well beyond the community reception.
“PM Modi’s visit to Australia signifies the growing strategic partnership between India and Australia, especially in trade, critical minerals, defence, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region,” he told The Indian Sun.
“For the Indian diaspora in Australia, the visit is equally significant because it reflects their rising influence and recognition, while strengthening cultural connections and giving the community a greater sense of pride and belonging in Australia’s broader multicultural society,” he added.
That diaspora is now substantial. The Indian-born population in Australia surpassed one million in 2024, making Indians the country’s fastest-growing migrant group. In Victoria alone, there are more than 370,000 people of Indian ancestry, spread across multiple languages, faiths, regions and migration journeys.
Many organisations have publicly backed the Melbourne event. The Uttar Pradesh Association of Australia described the gathering as a celebration of the growing partnership between India and Australia across trade, technology, innovation, education and cultural exchange. Shree Swaminarayan Temple Junagadhdham Melbourne also announced its support, describing the event as an opportunity to celebrate friendship between Australia and India, cultural unity and community spirit.
The visit also arrives against a shifting political backdrop in Australia. Taneja notes that anti-India and anti-Indian sentiment appears to be growing, as reflected on social media. “Given the rise of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party in opinion polls and its anti-migration rhetoric, Australian politicians from mainstream political parties are likely to be more guarded in their support for relations with India,” he said.
Yet beyond the public statements of support, discussions taking place across Indian Australian social media forums reveal a more complex picture.
While many members said they were looking forward to the Prime Minister’s visit, others questioned the scale of the celebrations and debated what the event means for Indians living in Australia. On one Melbourne-based Facebook forum, a member questioned whether a rally-style event was appropriate in Australia and suggested Modi should also address issues affecting Indians living overseas. Another member, who preferred not to be named, said, “It would be better if he addressed the issues faced by Indians now.”
Others challenged the description of the visit as “historic”, noting that previous Indian prime ministers had also visited Australia.
The question of media access also surfaced in community discussions. Some members said they hoped Modi would take questions from Australian journalists during the visit. The issue has long been a point of discussion among both supporters and critics, with observers noting his preference for direct public communication over traditional press conferences.
At the same time, some members expressed concern about the increasingly heated tone of debate. In a Facebook post directed at administrators of a popular Indian community forum, one contributor called for stronger moderation, arguing that criticism was welcome but personal attacks and abusive language were creating divisions within the group.
The exchanges highlight a reality often overlooked in public discussion: the Indian Australian population is far from politically uniform. Its members come from different states, religions, linguistic backgrounds, generations and migration experiences. Their views on India, its politics and its leaders can vary considerably.
A Bengali community member, who asked not to be named, said he did not feel represented by the excitement surrounding the visit. “I am not a fan of BJP’s pro-Hindu agenda,” he said, adding that the “hardcore following of RSS agendas creates a negative impression for the party.” He also questioned Modi’s economic record. “Rich people are getting richer and middle to poor income people poorer,” he said.
Several people approached for comment declined to speak publicly about the Prime Minister, reflecting the sensitivity that Indian politics can generate within diaspora communities.
Whether they cheer, criticise or simply look on, Indian Australians are confronting a question larger than any prime minister: Can a diaspora truly balance two worlds? The answers, like the community itself, are far from uniform.
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