Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed from Australia for New Zealand, marking the final leg of his six-day, three-nation tour. He is scheduled to participate in various events in Auckland on July 10 and 11. Before concluding his visit to Australia, the Prime Minister visited the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to take part in an initiative aimed at giving a new direction to the India-Australia sports partnership.
Sports Collaboration Roadmap Launched at MCG
On the final day of his Australian tour, Prime Minister Modi, alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, jointly launched the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between the two nations in areas such as sports, youth engagement, training, sports science, and sports infrastructure.
PM Modi Meets Young Athletes and Steve Waugh
At the MCG, Prime Minister Modi met with young athletes. The players sought autographs and took group photos with him. Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh was also present and met the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Modi and Anthony Albanese also took a selfie together.
Sharing Tour Experiences on Social Media
Sharing photos of the MCG on the social media platform ‘X’, Prime Minister Modi stated that sports form a vital pillar of the India-Australia partnership, connecting the people of both nations through shared passion and mutual respect. He remarked that sports exchanges, youth participation, and collaboration could further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.
Sports Possess a Unique Power to Connect People: PM Modi
Reflecting on his meeting with the young athletes, the Prime Minister described watching children play cricket, kabaddi, and Australian Rules football as an inspiring experience. He noted that sports have a unique ability to bring people together and that the sporting bond between India and Australia is continuously strengthening. He expressed confidence that, with major global sporting events on the horizon, new opportunities for collaboration in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure, and talent development would emerge. Sports to Strengthen Ties Between the Two Nations
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the historic MCG and interacted with Australia’s sports community. Both leaders watched exhibition matches played by local children and launched the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap, aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties through sports. He noted that the sports partnership between the two nations would be further strengthened in the context of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics in Australia.
