Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed heartfelt gratitude to Australia as he departed the country following a successful visit that yielded strong outcomes. In a post on X, he thanked the government and people of Australia, as well as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, for their warmth, noting that the visit's outcomes have further strengthened the partnership and opened new avenues for cooperation across diverse sectors. He emphasized that the momentum in the times to come will benefit both nations and the entire planet.
Official send-off and key meetings
Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed that Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong saw PM Modi off at the airport. Jaiswal described the visit as a milestone in strengthening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering strategic defence cooperation, economic engagements, education, sports, and community connections. PM Modi also met Angus Taylor, Leader of the Opposition of Australia, to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation.
Sports collaboration and youth engagement
Earlier in the day, PM Modi witnessed young sporting talent at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where children played cricket, Kabaddi, and Australian rules football. He highlighted that sports have always been a powerful bridge between India and Australia, strengthening people-to-people ties. The newly implemented Sports Collaboration Roadmap aims to facilitate deeper institutional exchanges, coaching upgrades, and technical partnerships. PM Modi noted that as both nations prepare to host major global sporting events, there is immense potential to deepen cooperation in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure, and talent development.
Australian PM Anthony Albanese also posted on X about taking the Big Bash to India for the first time and helping grow AFL across the region, underscoring the growing sports ties.
Strategic and economic outcomes
The visit reinforced the deep bonds between the people of India and Australia, with new avenues for collaboration in strategic defence, economic engagement, education, and community connections. PM Modi emplaned for the last leg of his visit to Auckland, New Zealand, after a stay in Melbourne that saw multiple high-level interactions and agreements.
