March 11, 2026 08:44 am (IST)
Follow us:
Live for India, says Narendra Modi at Sydney address
Sydney, Nov 17 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sydney to a big welcome and in an encore of his US Madison Square speech addressed at the Allphones Arena in Sydney's Olympic Park urging all Indians across the world to live for the country as frenzied crowd gathered at the venue cheered lustily.
"The 1.25 billion Indians are rightful owner of this cheer. I am not. I dedicate this to Mother India," he said.
He said Swami Vivekananda himself had said 50 years before independence that Indians should forget for 50 years all gods and goddesses and worship only Mother India. And see how correct he was. India got freedom 50 years later," said Modi.
He said he is lucky to be born in free India and never got a chance to fight for freedom.
"There should be a pain in us that we were not there during freedom struggle. We could not die for freedom but we can at least live for the country. So we should pledge that if we live, it will be for the nation. If we fight it will be for the nation. And this is what the people of India feel now," he said.
He said if you take a flight during night you reach Australia in morning, but for an Indian PM it took 28 years to come to Australia.
"I have come to assure you that you will not have to wait for 28 years," he said.
The event organised by the Australian-Indian community, the venue, witnessed a riot of colours and cultural performances ahead of Modi's speech.
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird also met Modi, a Twitter image of PMO showed. "What I sense is that you bring great hope; the relationship is on the cusp of something big" said Premier Baird of NSW.
Modi earlier tweeted: "Amazing welcome in Sydney. Glad to be here."
He was accorded a traditional welcome in Sydney and got a boomerang as a gift upon arrival.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
As Iran-US war disrupts global gas supply, India issues guidelines to manage shortages
Tue, Mar 10 2026
Mumbai dentistry student dies by suicide, note alleges mental harassment by boyfriend
Tue, Mar 10 2026
Kolkata: Mamata calls off dharna against SIR after five days, says ‘fight for justice’ will continue
Tue, Mar 10 2026
US: Dance video at WWII Memorial sparks outrage, Indian-origin man may face deportation
Tue, Mar 10 2026
'Most effective answer': Supreme Court says Uniform Civil Code key to ensuring equal rights for women
Tue, Mar 10 2026
Iran war disrupts LPG supplies, restaurants in major Indian cities edge towards shutdown
Tue, Mar 10 2026
‘How dare you question judicial officers?’: SC raps Bengal SIR pleas, orders appellate tribunals for voter list appeals
Tue, Mar 10 2026