PM Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met in Australia and as they took a lap of honour around the Narendra Modi stadium to celebrate 75 years of friendship between India and Australia, they were met with loud cheering and applause by the audience.Â
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, shared photos from his tour to Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi stadium, where he watched a test match with “good friend” Anthony Albanese of Australia.
Before the fourth Test match, leaders of the two nations rode in a “chariot” made out of a golf cart. Even though the massive stadium was only half full due to the tight multi-layered security arrangement, the two heads of state received a standing ovation from those in attendance.
PM Narendra Modi handshakes Australian PM Anthony Albanese
PM Modi and Mr Albanese exchanged handshakes with the skippers of their respective teams, Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith. They also met teammates from both teams and did stand alongside them as the Indian and Australian national anthems were sung. The remaining squad was then presented to PM Modi and Anthony Albanese by Rohit Sharma and Australia’s captain. “A special welcome & special handshakes!” BCCI posted a video caption.
PM Albanese received a portrait from BCCI president Roger Binny, while PM Modi received one from secretary Jay Shah. After this, leaders of the two nations inaugurated the newly designed Hall of Fame room, where cricket and nostalgia are inextricably linked.
“Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted, which included photos of the two leaders enjoying the fourth Test match between India and Australia.
“Australia and India are trying to compete to be the best in the world on the field. Off the field, we are working together to make the world a better place “The Australian Prime Minister stated in a tweet.
After having arrived in Ahmedabad on his first visit to India, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese went to visit the Sabarmati Ashram, a place closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi. He arrived at the city’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport and proceeded to the Ashram, Mahatma Gandhi’s former home and a site associated with India’s freedom struggle.
Albanese arrived in India for a four-day visit and was greeted at the airport by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who also guided the visiting leader on the Ashram tour.
Though visitors were not required to remove their shoes while walking on the open ground of the Ashram, the Australian Prime Minister did that out of reverence for Mahatma Gandhi and the iconic location, according to Ashram trustee Kartikeya Sarabhai.
Mr Albanese celebrated Holi at the end of the day at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the state capital. According to a state government release, he was greeted at Raj Bhavan by Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Patel by applying colour to his face as a sign of Holi festivities.
The Governor arranged the ‘Holi Celebrations’ event in honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation. At the event, artists from various states, including Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, performed classical dance forms.
Mr Albanese expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the invitation and expressed his excitement about attending the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India in Ahmedabad.
India currently leads the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. Victory in the final test will qualify the team for the ICC World Test Championship final, where they will face Australia in London on June 7.
