Australian government flags off "Modi Express", hails PM's visit

MELBOURNE: "Modi Express", a special train carrying over 220 passengers who will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Sydney, was flagged off today by an Australian minister, who underlined the huge significance the visit will have on bilateral ties.

"It just shows the strength of India-Australia relationship even if India beats us in Cricket World Cup 2015. His visit is very very significant," Victorian Multicultural Minister Matthew Guy said while flagging off the Sydney bound "Modi Express" train from Southern Cross Station.

The passengers travelling through the special train will attend Modi's first public address in Sydney tomorrow.

"Its great to have Modi in Australia. There is lot of respect for the Indian leader not only in Indian diaspora but also the broader Australian community. We are very happy to have him here," Guy said adding that Modi is going a long way in strengthening the Australia-India relations to the strongest they have ever been.

"His presence is hugely important and the respect one sees from the local Indian community shows how much Modi is admired here," Guy said.

Guy flagged off the train by holding a Indian tricolour while hundreds of Indians shouted pro Modi slogans.

The four bogies of the train will cover over 800 kilometres to reach Sydney early tomorrow morning where the passengers would later attend a massive community reception to be addressed by Modi.

It is expected that over 18,000 people would attend the reception and the organisers of the event - Indian Australian Community Foundation - are hoping to go better than the recently held function at Madison Square Garden in the US.

Hundreds of Indians came to see off the train commencing its historic journey while passengers left the station amid festive atmosphere wearing Modi T-shirts and carrying flags and Modi posters.

A 60-year-old Indian couple - Bhupider and Gunni Singh, who specially flew from Adelaide to be a part of this historic journey, said Modi is their leader and has given them hope.

"We are extremely happy and excited to be a part of it," the couple said.

The passengers would be served with free vegetarian food named after Modi.

Spokesperson of Overseas friends of BJP Victoria Ashwin Bora said Modi's visit is building up profile for Indian diaspora here.

"Modi has got all of us together and we are seeing Indians as one large community," said Bora.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia in 28 years.