The World Punjabi Organisation (WPO), led by its international president and Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney, on Friday, 10 July extended active support to Indian diaspora engagements tied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landmark visit to Australia and New Zealand. The organisation facilitated prominent media outreach in both countries to amplify the visit and underscore the deepening bilateral partnerships.

Media Outreach and Advertorials

As part of its support, the WPO coordinated major advertorials in The Herald Sun (Australia) and arranged two full-page special supplements in The New Zealand Herald. The supplements highlighted PM Modi's visit and spotlighted the growing India-Australia and India-New Zealand strategic partnerships across trade, investment, technology, and critical minerals.

Sahney said in a statement that the visit 'has not only strengthened India's bond with its vibrant diaspora but has also advanced strategic cooperation in trade, investment, technology and critical minerals, opening new avenues for deeper economic partnership and people-to-people engagement.'

Diaspora Events: Melbourne and Auckland

A centrepiece of the Australia leg was the Melbourne Meets Modi community reception at Marvel Stadium, where nearly 30,000 members of the Indian diaspora gathered. The event was attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, marking one of the largest Indian diaspora gatherings on Australian soil.

In New Zealand, the Kia Ora Modi community reception at Spark Arena in Auckland drew an enthusiastic turnout from the Indian community in the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, reaffirming strong people-to-people ties between the two nations.

WPO's Role on the Ground

The WPO's local chapters played a pivotal role in organising both events. J.S. Uppal, WPO Patron and President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Melbourne, and Kamaljeet Bakshi, WPO Patron and former Member of Parliament of New Zealand, led ground operations alongside Ranjay Sikka and community volunteers.

Punjabi Diaspora Footprint

Australia is home to over 1.3 lakh people of Punjabi ancestry, while New Zealand hosts a growing Punjabi community that contributes significantly to both nations' economic, cultural, and social development. The WPO reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening India's ties with the global Punjabi diaspora.

This comes amid a broader Indian government push to leverage diaspora networks as soft-power instruments in bilateral diplomacy — a strategy that has gained momentum across multiple high-profile state visits in recent years. The next phase of WPO engagement is expected to focus on trade facilitation and cultural exchange programmes between India and both countries.