Narendra Modi visit to Australia: Anti-immigration group plans protest at Indian diaspora event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Australia will get a rock star welcome, reports said, but an anti-migration group is also planning a protest outside Marvel Stadium on Thursday during its “Melbourne Meets Modi” event. Australia has a thriving Indian community and people with roots in India now make up more than 5% of the country’s population.

Modi is expected to hold talks with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, on expanding strategic and economic cooperation. The two leaders will meet in Melbourne for the annual Australia-India Leaders Summit.

According to an AFP report, a “protest against Indian migration to Australia” is planned during Modi’s visit to Melbourne. The protest is set to coincide with the ‘Melbourne Meets Modi’ community event at Marvel Stadium, where tens of thousands of members of Australia’s Indian diaspora are expected to gather to welcome Prime Minister Modi.

This is an anti-immigration group that previously targeted Indian migrants.

Australian publication The Indian Sun reported that social media accounts linked to the anti-mass migration movement “March for Australia” mobilized their supporters for Thursday’s demonstration. The publication said promotional material circulating online called for participants to gather outside the Department of Home Affairs office at 808 Bourke Street in Melbourne’s Docklands suburb, before marching to Marvel Stadium.

The Indian Sun said it added that it had verified the authenticity of the online posts, but could not independently verify the expected turnout or whether Victoria Police had been officially informed of the protest.

Among the accounts promoting the protest is verified X account Aus Pill (@aus_pill), which The Indian Sun linked to supporters of the March for Australia movement.

In an article announcing the protest, Aus Pill said Australian leaders were “welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Melbourne” while pursuing deeper ties with India through migration and diaspora engagement. The narrative claimed that Australia should reject further mass immigration.

“The vast majority of attendees at the rally at Marvel Stadium will be supporters of Narendra Modi and his far-right party, the BJP. They may not like us opposing them, but this is our continent. We vow to be peaceful, but loud,” the account posted.

In response to Aus Pill’s post, a verified X account of BW Jackson, who identifies himself as a “domestic conservationist”, urged Australians to oppose what he called “foreign influence” in domestic politics.

“Tomorrow, a foreign leader is effectively holding a political rally in Melbourne to demonstrate the growing power of his diaspora in our country,” Jackson wrote. “Australians should oppose this so our leaders know we oppose this foreign influence on our politics.”

AUSTRALIAN GROUP PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED INDIAN IMMIGRANTS

The protest comes less than a year after the March for Australia movement held anti-immigration rallies in several Australian cities, particularly targeting Indian migrants.

At these protests in August last year, promotional materials highlighted the rapid growth of Australia’s Indian-born population and argued that immigration was changing the country’s demographic makeup.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, cited in several reports at the time, there were approximately 8,45,800 Indian-born residents living in Australia in 2023, making it one of the largest overseas-born communities in the country. More recent official estimates place the Indian-born population at almost one million, making it Australia’s second largest migrant community after those born in England.

The rallies have drawn widespread criticism across Australia’s political spectrum.

Australian ministers have condemned the protests as divisive and accused organizers of spreading hatred, while several politicians have raised concerns about anti-India rhetoric. Authorities have also noted the presence of neo-Nazi figures during some demonstrations, notably in Melbourne, where clashes broke out between demonstrators and counter-protesters. Police arrested several people during the unrest.

The March for Australia has denied any links to extremist organisations, describing itself as a grassroots movement seeking to reduce immigration levels.

WHY MODI’S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA IS IMPORTANT

The planned protest comes against the backdrop of one of the most significant Indo-Australian engagements in recent years. This is Modi’s third visit to Australia in the last 10 years.

Modi’s talks with Albanese are expected focus on strengthening defense cooperationcritical minerals, trade and energy security.

According to AFP, securing supplies of essential minerals such as lithium and expanding cooperation in the field of uranium are expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Australia has some of the world’s largest reserves of lithium and uranium, resources that are increasingly important to India’s clean energy ambitions and the long-term expansion of nuclear power.

The two countries have significantly strengthened ties over the past decade, in part due to shared concerns over China’s growing strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific region and their cooperation in the Quad group alongside the United States and Japan.

The visit also includes the annual Australia-India Leaders Summit, a business reception focused on the bilateral economic roadmap, meetings with Australian leaders and the large Indian community.

During his previous trip to Australia in 2023, Modi spoke to around 20,000 members of the Indian community in Sydney, where Albanese described him as “the boss” while praising his popularity among the diaspora.

This year’s Melbourne event is expected to attract an even larger audience.

– Ends