Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 9 July invoked Operation Sindoor before a crowd of over 20,000 members of the Indian diaspora at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, declaring that India's defence platforms had demonstrated their 'capability and credibility' to the world. The address, billed as the largest gathering of its kind ever held in Australia, was part of the 'Melbourne Meets Modi' event during the Prime Minister's ongoing Australia visit.

Operation Sindoor Takes Centre Stage

'The world is witnessing the capability and credibility of India's defence platforms. You must have seen a demonstration of this during Operation Sindoor,' Modi told the audience. He added: 'The explosions were taking place at terrorist hideouts, but their echoes were heard across the entire world.' The remarks signal New Delhi's intent to project military assertiveness as a pillar of its global standing, not just a domestic security matter.

India's Economic and Technological Strides

Modi highlighted India's ambition to become one of the world's top three economies, pointing to the Chandrayaan lunar mission's historic landing at the Moon's South Pole — an achievement no other country has replicated. He cited the 5G rollout covering 90 per cent of India, a digital transformation reaching 480 million people, and swift vaccine diplomacy during global crises, including Operation Sagar, as markers of India's expanding global footprint. On manufacturing, Modi said growing international demand for Indian-made products reflected the country's emergence as a significant global production hub.

India-Australia Partnership: Cricket to Critical Minerals

Modi described cricket as the 'diplomatic language' between the two nations, drawing a symbolic link between Ahmedabad's world's largest cricket stadium and Melbourne's storied sporting heritage. He pointed to the evolving India-Australia trade agreement and upcoming collaborations — including Tata launching a satellite via an Australian rocket — as evidence that the relationship is 'deepening in space, science, technology, and innovation.' He also flagged India's hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and growing sports opportunities, particularly for girls.

Albanese Praises Modi as a 'Living Bridge'

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who joined the event, called Modi a 'living bridge between our nations' and described his personal engagement as 'absolutely essential' to elevating the partnership. Albanese characterised Australia and India as 'close partners and even closer friends.' Modi, noting that this was his third visit to Australia in 12 years, quipped to the audience: 'Now you don't have to wait 28 years' — a reference to the long gap between earlier prime ministerial visits that drew loud cheers.

Diaspora as a Strategic Asset

Modi credited the Indian community itself for the transformation of bilateral ties. 'Whose role is the biggest? Not just Modi ji, all of you, my friends, have played a part,' he said. He spoke warmly of Melbourne's 'Mini India' precincts — markets and neighbourhoods 'steeped in Indian culture' — and described the diaspora's daily rituals, from children returning from Australian schools to grandparents awaiting video calls from India, as the human infrastructure underpinning the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He also announced the Know India Quiz for diaspora children to celebrate India's diversity. The event, the largest of its kind addressed by any political leader in Australia, underscored the diaspora's growing strategic weight in India's foreign policy calculus.