I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. Welcome, Melbourne. Namaste, mates. How are you? Kem cho? This show is housefull. It is a blockbuster. Before I begin my speech, in honor of the Premier of Victoria and my friend Prime Minister, all of you turn on your mobile phone flashlights and honor them.
Friends, before this I met you all twice in Sydney. I was also waiting to meet the people of Melbourne. So I thought this time I will have a flat white coffee with the people of Melbourne. Friends, the energy with which all of you, our OCI friends, have welcomed us, that is even more amazing. Melbourne has, in a way, won the field. Friends, I am also very grateful to my friend, friend of India, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. You were with me in Sydney, and today here in Melbourne you have come among the Indian community, and this is a full circle. Ahmedabad, where the world's largest cricket ground is, and Melbourne, where the iconic stadium is, we have been together. And friends, we have all seen that when Prime Minister Albanese speaks, he captures the hearts and minds of Indians. In Sydney you created a buzz, and here too you have captivated. I also express my heartfelt gratitude to the Premier of Victoria for her energetic words and the affection she has shown towards India.
Friends, when I came to Australia in 2014, after 28 years an Indian PM had visited. And you remember, I had said then that you will not have to wait 28 years again. In the last 12 years, I have come here for the third time – that is a hat-trick. This shows the height of the relationship between India and Australia. And do you know who has the biggest role in this? Not Modi – all of you, friends, have the role. The Indian diaspora has the role. Friends, they say that Melbourne city shows you all four seasons in one day. But the Indian community has made it even more vibrant with its cultural colors. Here in Melbourne and around, there are many places and markets filled with the color of Indianness. Some call it Little India, some call it Mini India. Whatever the name, the colors are filled with Indianness. A video of such a market was shown to me. They were saying that there is a great sale going on. In the lure of this sale, people become gun chakkar. Even if there is no mood for shopping, you have to buy. Am I right? There is an attraction of sports, isn't there? Friends, many of you came to Australia for the first time, and many were born here. Generations have changed, but the Indianness within remains alive forever. There will be many here whose homes run on at least two time zones. Children come home from school according to Australian time, but in India, grandparents are waiting on video calls. When it's weekend here, there is a wedding live streaming in India. That is, the distance is thousands of kilometers, but the daily routine is still connected to India. And with this routine, all of you are fully engaged in the development of Australia. I am proud of all of you.
Friends, we Indians are such that like sugar mixes in milk and makes it sweeter, in the same way we Indians spread the color of love in the world. At home, the milk is Australian, but the tea is made Indian style. Oh, chai wala! The lentils and vegetables are Australian, but the tempering is with desi spices. Friends, you must have heard that in India these days there is a new trend of bhajan clubbing. Our Jain ji is driving it. And I have heard that here in Australia, your weekends are filled with faith and spirituality. At someone's home there is a Satyanarayan Katha, at a Gurudwara there is Ardas, somewhere children perform Bhangra or Bharatnatyam, somewhere a cricket tournament is going on. And now the Indian Film Festival has also come here. In a few days, the Indian Film Festival is going to start in Melbourne. I wish you all success for its organization. Friends, all of you are irrigating Australia's growth with your hard work. But I know that your eyes are always on India. What is India doing? India's progress, India's pace – you keep seeking news of it. Friends, 21st century India is working towards the goal of becoming developed. When one dream is fulfilled, a new dream is born. Earlier they said, 'From one lamp, another is lit, a thousand lamps burn.' Today I say, 'From one dream, another is born, a thousand dreams are born.' When one goal is achieved, an even bigger resolve comes before us. This is the India that says 'Grow more, achieve more.' We are a nation of 1.4 billion aspirations. We are impatient, restless. We are the world's fastest growing economy. But we want to become among the world's top three economies as soon as possible. Because our inspiration is 'Grow more, achieve more. Grow more, grow more, grow more.'
Friends, you have also seen that India landed the Chandrayaan on the Moon's South Pole. No other country in the world has done that. But India was not satisfied with just that, because India says 'Grow more.' Therefore, friends, India is preparing to send its Gaganyaan into space. India is now working on the goal of building its own space station. Friends, until a few years ago, there were big questions about 5G technology: when will it launch, how will it roll out, how much time will it take? We started rolling out 5G at the end of 2022, and today 99% of India's districts are covered. And you will be happy to know, friends, India is one of the countries with the fastest 5G rollout. Today India has become the world's second largest 5G market. And not only that, India is today rapidly working on Made in India 6G technology. That is because Indians say 'Grow more, grow more.' Friends, in the last 12 years, metro networks have reached more than two dozen cities in India. Today, every day over 1.25 crore people travel by metro in India. India is the third largest country in the world in terms of metro network. But we Indians are not satisfied with that either. We say 'Grow more, grow more.' That is why we are rapidly expanding semi-high speed networks like Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Vande Bharat in India. Another example is Make in India. In the last 12 years, Make in India has become a global brand. Our mobile phones, our electronics have reached around the world. Our automobiles, our pharma products have expanded globally. The world is seeing the capability and credibility of India's defense platforms. You must have seen the demonstration during Operation Sindoor. Blasts were happening at terrorist hideouts, and the echo was heard around the world. From that decisive strike on terror camps, did you feel proud? Yes or no? Friends, India does not want to stop there. India says 'Grow more, grow more.' That is why today, from chip to ship, a new manufacturing ecosystem is being developed in India.
Friends, the foundation of India's big dreams and big aspirations is its citizen – the people. And it is the people-first principle, the mantra of 'Citizen is God,' that has become the core mantra of governance in India today. Let me give you an example of attestation. The compulsion of attestation used to be very common until a few years ago. For anything, for any application, you had to get your documents attested by an officer. You had to stand in line early in the morning. And what a task it was just to prove that yes, you are who you say you are. But with our principle of 'Citizen is God,' that situation is no more. Now most work is done by self-attestation. That journey has now reached India's DigiLocker – a digital system where Indians can keep their documents in digital format. Documents can be shared, verified, and accepted with one click. Friends, building a system is one thing. Building it with scale and secure features is a huge achievement. Do you know how many users DigiLocker has in India today? I know the number is a bit hard to remember. At this time, over 70 crore – that is over 700 million – DigiLocker users, and in it over 850 crore documents are stored, over 80 crore. Friends, another example of 'Citizen is God' is our healthcare system. Today crores of Indians have a secure digital health ID. It stores the entire history of health records digitally. This is improving diagnosis in India and making treatment systems better. Not only that, tele-consultation is also rapidly increasing. India has the e-Sanjeevani platform. Through it, so far 48 crore – that is 480 million – tele-consultations have taken place. Over 2.25 lakh healthcare providers are connected to this platform. Friends, there was a time when you all must have suffered passport-related problems. Remember how many weeks it used to take to get a passport?
But today, a passport is obtained in just a few days on average. This is citizen-first governance. This is the success of the mantra 'Citizen is God'. Friends, I often say one thing: as India's capability grows, the benefit goes to all humanity. Our values are 'Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' - meaning may all be happy. This eternal value still inspires India's policies and actions today.
Friends, just last month there was a huge tragedy in Venezuela due to an earthquake. Such great destruction. Hundreds of lives were lost. We did not see how far the distance is. We considered that pain of Venezuela as our own pain. India launched an operation for relief and rescue. We sent help as quickly as possible. We sent our experts. Our medical teams started working swiftly. I am very satisfied that many lives were saved.
Friends, similarly, when there was an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, India very quickly sent relief and rescue help. There are many such examples. Last year we carried out Operation Brahma in Myanmar. When Sri Lanka was hit by a cyclone, we carried out Operation Sagar Bandhu. Friends, memories of the COVID period are still fresh in our minds. We brought back not only Indian citizens from around the world but also citizens of other countries to their homes. We carried out rescue operations. We delivered medicines to those in need. We sent vaccines to more than 100 countries. Even in war zones, India made every possible effort to evacuate people trapped in crisis.
Friends, when India helps, it does not look at passports. When India sends help, it does not look at the color of passports. That is why the world trusts India so much.
Friends, I know that Australia also has a very big role in working for the benefit of humanity. This is an important pillar of our bilateral partnership and it strengthens our partnership in one more sector. That sector is sports. In the world of sports, Australia is a brand in itself. But even in India, the sports ecosystem is transforming.
Friends, you must have heard the name of the Khelo India mission. This is not just a sports policy. This campaign is creating a pool of thousands of players from the school level itself. In India, Khelo India Games are held at school, university, national, and school levels. Millions of athletes participate in these. Under this mission, sports infrastructure is being built even in remote areas of India. This is giving more opportunities to more athletes, especially our daughters. And it is not limited to cities. Through events like Sansad Khel Mahakumbh, sports is being connected to fitness in every village. It is being connected to career opportunities.
And all this is happening, its impact is visible in the field. India's athletes, India's team is getting better and better. Friends, this confidence is taking India to the next level of sporting leagues. In 2030, India is hosting the Commonwealth Games. India is also a contender to host the 2036 Olympics. I firmly believe that the partnership between Australia and India will further expand in the field of sports.
Friends, whatever India and Australia do, it is auspicious for both our countries. A big example is the India-Australia trade agreement. You may have heard that verse. You must remember it. 'I started alone, unknowing the destination, people kept joining, and a caravan formed.' Similarly, the India-Australia agreement was a beginning and today this caravan has reached trade agreements with almost 40 countries.
Friends, we are not just a trading nation. We value innovation, science and technology. Australia has many achievements - hearing implant, WiFi, cervical cancer vaccine, flight black box, secret ballot voting. So many innovations in which Australia has played a big role. And today they are making the whole world better. Friends, similarly, India is also transforming its science, technology and innovation ecosystem. You will be happy to know that today, Atal Tinkering Labs are running in 10,000 schools in India. They are preparing an innovation mindset at the school level.
In the last 12 years, India has become the world's third largest startup ecosystem. But if I tell you the numbers, you will be amazed. Do you want to hear the data? Then let me tell you. Today in India, there are more than two lakh registered startups. Every month, more than 4000 new startups are being registered. And in sectors like defense and space, hundreds of startups are working. I am giving these examples because all these sectors were earlier closed in India. Only a few years ago, they were opened for private entrepreneurship.
And you see, a space startup in India is very soon going to launch a satellite in its rocket for the first time.
Friends, I am happy that in education, skill, innovation, the relationship between India and Australia is becoming deeper and stronger. Today, thousands of Indian students are studying in Australia, and now Australian universities are opening their campuses in India as well. Campuses of Deakin and Wollongong University have already started. And more Australian universities are moving in this direction. And this is not just about opening new campuses. This is a campaign to provide skilled, innovative talent to the world and to prepare global leadership.
Friends, I have said so many things about India. Now I will also make a request to you. Shall I? Will you? Will you listen to me? Promise? Some time ago, we started the 'Know India Quiz' for the children of our diaspora community. This quiz introduces the world to India's diversity and also connects the families of the Indian community to their heritage. I was glad to know that this year, many young friends in Australia participated in this program's curtain raiser. Now the sixth edition of this competition is going to start. This time there will be many competitions in gamified mode. I request all families of the Indian community in Australia to definitely participate.
But along with that, please also include your Australian friends, your schoolmates, your college mates in this competition. Will you? Or have you forgotten? Friends, all of you have worked hard to strengthen India-Australia relations. You have contributed a lot. But your work is not finished here. Rather, your responsibilities have increased from here. Now a different phase of the India-Australia partnership is beginning. So keep filling the India-Australia relationship with your passion. Keep hitting fours. Your success is the success of India and Australia.
Friends, for today's program, to Prime Minister Albanese ji and to all of you friends, my once again many many thanks. Say with me with full force: 'Bharat Mata Ki' ... 'Jai Bharat Mata Ki Jai' ... 'Vande Mataram' ... (chanting continues)
Well, that was a 40-minute speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Passionate, powerful, impactful, and an electrifying atmosphere at the stadium. In fact, the aim was to talk about India's growth story, about India's vision for 2047, the Viksit Bharat vision, and how all this is shaping up the transformation that has taken place in India, while being addressed also to the Indian community in Australia. It was also a statement of India's strengths for the dignitaries present on the occasion, which included the Australian Prime Minister, who earlier, as mentioned in his own speech, spoke about how India was a true friend of Australia. And if he has in fact traveled a lot in India on trains. You know that when Prime Minister spoke about trains, we could see that the Prime Minister talked about trains. He said it's the largest, third largest metro network in the world; currently India has built that. All this happened recently, and then he talked about high speed, that we are not satisfied with that, we need to do more. What did he say? Grow more and achieve more, on multiple occasions. That theme speech drew thunderous applause from that nearly 30 to 40 thousand capacity stadium diaspora.
Well, in fact, Prime Minister started by acknowledging and appreciating a very warm welcome, a very warm bonhomie and reception, according to him and his delegation, by Australia's ruling dispensation under the Prime Ministership of Anthony Albanese. And Prime Minister urged the diaspora there to, in honor of Prime Minister Albanese, flash their mobile lights, and I think that was a wonderful visual. We're going to play the snippets of that as we move forward. Prime Minister, in fact, not only connected with the Indian diaspora but the natives of Australia when he mentioned about speech with flat coffee, yes, flat white coffee. Flat white coffee connects with the Australians and yes, grow more, achieve more. Prime Minister spoke about India's stellar space achievements. Prime Minister spoke about Operation Sindoor. Overall, Brand Bharat. Overall, Brand Bharat. And Prime Minister Modi addressed a massive crowd of over 30,000 Indian diaspora members during this historic 'Melbourne Meets Modi' event, where the speeches of both principals just concluded a while back at Marvel Stadium in Docklands. There you see two principals, in fact. This was when Prime Minister arrived at the stadium, I believe, and talking about the larger messaging here. Prime Minister also spoke about India's growing stature globally, India's growing digital infrastructure. Prime Minister touched upon India's human assistance and humanitarian assistance to different parts of the world, especially at the time of calamities. He spoke about Venezuela earthquake, one of the cases. Transformation of sports ecosystem back home. India's fastest growing economy and our fastest growing digital infrastructure, and most importantly, India's 2036 bid for hosting Olympics and India being 2030 Commonwealth Games host. Prime Minister took forward that thought and he said that India is not just a trading country, it is an innovation nation. And then he spoke about India's startup ecosystem. He talked about how there are 2 lakh startups in the country currently, about 4000 new startups are registered every month, and many of them are in areas that were restricted earlier. So he talked really about how the Indian economy has opened up and how it is creating entrepreneurship. Then he urged, finally at the end of his speech, he urged the Indian diaspora to hit fours and sixes to take this relationship forward, by fours and sixes. Absolutely. And you know, their success will be the success of India and Australia. Absolutely. Prime Minister spoke on the current and futuristic collaboration, especially in the education sector between India and Australia. He also touched upon the broader contours of the new face of India-Australia partnership. And on his part, Prime Minister of Australia, in fact, opened his speech with warm Namaste and he recalled his first trip to India way back in '91 as a backpacker, and he described that experience as fantastic, and also said that if you want to understand India, you have to get on to one of the trains. He spoke of the delicious food and wonderful stories from his Indian experience, and he spoke about two great democracies, when they come together, the magic happens. And he said, very important mark, that we are a better nation because we have you. Addressing the Indian diaspora there, and I think that also drew a massive response from this strong nearly 30,000 diaspora members, which also includes the Australian natives there in that packed stadium, with those lights still flashing in the honor of two principals. Okay.
Flanked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address focused heavily on the strength of the global Indian community and the expanding strategic partnership between India and Australia. The Prime Minister said that India is working on 6G technology because Indians believe in grow more, achieve more, highlighting India's economic and technological progress. Prime Minister Modi said the country is building a new manufacturing ecosystem from chips to ships, and it is working towards becoming a developed nation, a Viksit Bharat.
