Madison Square encore on cards for Narendra Modi during Australia visit

NEW DELHI: Another Madison Square Garden-type of extravaganza is in the offing, this time in Sydney when Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Australia mid-November, first visit by an Indian PM to the country since Rajiv Gandhi's trip there way back in 1986.

Modi, who will be in Australia to attend the G-20 Summit in Brisbane followed by a bilateral visit, could recreate the Madison Square Garden experience for Indian-Australians living there. The Indian community in Australia, keen to replicate the New York event, is exploring venues including Sydney's famous Olympic Park for Modi's address, sources well-versed with the developments said. Melbourne was considered initially, but finally settled for Sydney, sources informed.

Sydney's historic Opera House was under consideration, but it was dropped given its limited capacity. The proposed venue in the harbor city will be equivalent to the Madison Square Garden, sources informed. Nearly 15,000 Indian-Australians are expected to attend the event.

This would include members of the Indian diaspora, top members of Australian polity and eminent personalities from areas like academics, business and sports. Modi would be participating in a two-day G20 Summit from November 15, followed by the community reception in Sydney on November 17 during which he will address the Indian Diaspora. He will address a joint parliamentary session in Canberra besides focusing on security and investment ties, sources hinted.