India’s Modi hosts Australia PM at stadium named after him

Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi inaugurate cricket match between their groups at Ahmedabad stadium named after the Indian PM.

India's Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese arriving for the cricket match [Ajit Solanki/AP]

The prime ministers of India and Australia have lent a contact of cricket diplomacy to their ties as they inaugurated a check match between their two groups at a stadium named after Narendra Modi within the western metropolis of Ahmedabad.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian host Modi on Thursday handed caps emblazoned with nationwide emblems to rival captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma.

The 2 prime ministers clasped their arms and raised them as 1000's of cricket followers cheered the 2 leaders who went across the stadium and later sat down to look at the beginning of the sport.

Cricket, a typical ardour in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good good friend, PM @AlboMP to witness elements of the India-Australia Check Match. I'm certain will probably be an thrilling recreation! 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJfpic.twitter.com/JwJecwUkHi

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2023

Modi and Albanese additionally noticed a photograph exhibition highlighting their international locations’ cricketing ties.

The India-Australia cricket rivalry is taken into account one of the intense on the planet, corresponding to the Ashes check collection performed between England and Australia.

The opposition Congress get together slammed Modi for attending the occasion at a stadium named after him.

“Doing a lap of honour in a stadium you named after your self in your personal lifetime – peak of self-obsession,” get together chief Jairam Ramesh stated in a tweet.

Modi with Albanese, second left, elevate their arms with Indian and Australian cricket group captains Rohit Sharma, proper, and Steven Smith in the beginning of the match in Ahmedabad [Ajit Solanki/AP]

Albanese arrived on Wednesday in Ahmedabad, a key metropolis in Modi’s residence state of Gujarat, in the beginning of his four-day go to to India.

He paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, India’s independence chief, throughout a go to to the Sabarmati Ashram, which was one in all Gandhi’s abodes in India. Albanese later attended a cultural occasion associated to the Holi competition on the state governor’s residence.

Albanese will go away in a while Thursday for Mumbai, the place he'll go to India’s selfmade plane provider INS Vikrant, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy in September.

The 2 leaders will maintain official talks on Friday in New Delhi.

Australia’s Usman Khawaja throughout the cricket check match with India in Ahmedabad [Ajit Solanki/AP]

“Australia and India are necessary companions,” Albanese stated in Perth earlier than leaving for India. “We share widespread values. We're each vibrant democracies. We've an curiosity in enhancing our financial relations.”

He stated India, together with Indonesia, would develop to be the third and fourth-largest economies on the planet, which offered “an unimaginable alternative” for Australia.

India’s items exports to Australia stood at $8.3bn and imports from the nation aggregated to $16.75bn in 2021-22, in keeping with the financial suppose tank World Commerce Analysis Initiative.

Whereas India’s exports vary from agriculture, clothes and railway engines to telecom, 95 p.c of India’s imports from Australia are uncooked supplies and mining merchandise wanted by Indian trade.

Each leaders have expressed their commitments to a “free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific”. They stress the progress of the Quad, an alliance of Australia, India, Japan and america, that goals to counter China’s rising affect in Asia.