Modi: No reason why India should stay behind

Our Bureau Updated - November 25, 2017 at 07:37 PM.

More than 16,000 members of the Indian diaspora are packed at Allphones Arena at Olympic Park to listen to Mr. Modi's address. About 5,000 more are expected to be watching the evening event on big screens outside.

PM Modi greeting the gathering at Allphones Arena, Sydney.

Modi's address live

2:36 pm: Govt. working on visa-on-arrival for tourists from Australia soon

2:32 pm: The odd practice of police verifying the visitors to India is over now

2:28 pm: PIOs/NRIs don't believe in promises because of their past experiences. The new government is working to dispel their doubts.

2:24 pm: Laws should not prevent people from living peacefully

2:22 pm: Modi says he is happier to remove laws so that the windows are open for fresh air come in.

2:20 pm: We want to create the India you are dreaming of, Modi tells Sydney audience

2:19 pm: Skill development a constant concern, Indian youth need to be developed

2:16 pm: With a lot of courage we opted for 100% FDI in railways in India

2:14 pm: We created golf course in Gujarat for Japanese to come and invest

2:12 pm: Investors should be given high quality of life

2:10 pm We have started Make in India programme. Job will be created for Indian youth who can contribute to the world: PM

2:06 pm: Dignity of labor should be learned from Australia, the PM says and want to propagate the idea that cleaning isn't below dignity.

2:02 pm: Mr Modi invites people of Indian origin in Australia to help build toilets in India, in their place of origin in India. If this challenge is taken up the bad image of India can be cleaned up, he says.

1:57 pm: 71 million bank accounts have already been opened in last 10 weeks. Same people, same departments...did the work happen or not?

1:55 pm: Spoke to Reserve Bank of India about "Jan Dhan Yogna",and they said it will take 3 years. I said I want this done in 150 days

1:53 pm: I want to work for the small people, to make the small people big...that's what my focus is

1:45 pm: In 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo, an Indian represented Australia, thats not a small thing

1:41 pm: I see no reason why India should stay behind. We will move ahead

1:37 pm: Had it not been for a democracy would I be here? Let's understand this strength

1:35 pm: Sydney is a beautiful city. Australia is a beautiful Country. We are also bound by the bond of cricket

1:34 pm: It takes one day to come to Australia, but it took 28 years for an Indian PM to come here

1:33 pm: It is my good fortune that I'm the first PM of India to be born post 1947

1:31 pm: We remember the words of Swami Vivekananda that we must worship only Mother India and not demi-gods

1.23 pm: PM Modi: I dedicate this welcome to the people of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday on a whirlwind six-hour visit to Sydney on the second leg of his four-city tour of Australia.

Ahead of Modi's address, former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee addressed NRIs.

It was a rush for selfies and autographs at the Allphones arena, according to the PMO's twitter account.

More than 200 Modi fans left Melbourne bound for Allphones Arena on a specially a chartered train dubbed the “Modi Express.”

Earlier, PM Modi met New South Wales Premier Mike Baird.

Australia’s aboriginal dancers gave a traditional welcome to Modi. The Prime Minister spent about five minutes at the lobby of Hotel Pullman and watched the four male dancers, who also sang and performed a few dance sequences.

Modi got a boomerang as a gift from the dancers. It is well known as a weapon used by Indigenous Australians for hunting and is commonly thought of as an Australian icon.

Published on November 17, 2014 07:54