Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Parramatta for his question. Indeed, it is a good thing that last night I announced the Centre for Australia-India Relations will be based in Parramatta. We also, together with Prime Minister Modi, unveiled a plaque for the 'Little India' Gateway, which will be there in Harris Park. It will be one of the first 'Little Indias', Prime Minister Modi told me, anywhere in the world. It's a great celebration of our multiculturalism and a great celebration of who we are as a nation. It's a nation where we welcome people from around the world, but we encourage them, as well as to be loyal to Australia, to remember their heritage.

This morning I had a very warm and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Modi. It is the sixth meeting we've had since I became PM. As Prime Minister Modi said, 'In the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T20 mode.' We keep meeting very regularly indeed! Today we agreed to take the Australia India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level in the next decade. We signed the terms of reference for an Australia-India green hydrogen task force, which will be so important for renewables. We also witnessed the signing of the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement. This is about promoting the exchange of students, graduates, researchers and businesspeople and also expanding our people-to-people ties and enhancing cooperation in preventing the evil scourge of people smuggling. I was pleased to announce the establishment of a fifth Australian diplomatic presence in India—a consulate general in Bengaluru—as well as to welcome India's plans for a consul general in Brisbane.

These processes are all so important in building relations with the country that now has the world's largest population: some 1.4 billion. Over two-thirds of those 1.4 billion people are under the age of 35. Having one of the world's youngest populations will drive economic growth going forward, so that India will be the third-largest economy in the world. In our region, that presents a real opportunity for us to benefit in a mutual way from this relationship.

I thank Prime Minister Modi very much for his visit. It has been well received by the diaspora here as well. Many members here were present at the rather extraordinary event that took place in Homebush last night.

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