Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Australia in July as part of a broader regional tour that will also take him to Indonesia and New Zealand, according to government and diplomatic sources.
Sources familiar with the planning say Modi will travel to Indonesia first, before heading to New Zealand on July 7 and 8. He is then expected to arrive in Australia for a two-day visit on July 9 and 10, marking his return to the country amid deepening strategic, economic and diaspora ties between the two nations.
The visit is expected to include engagements in both Sydney and Melbourne. The Australia Today understands that PM Anthony Albanese’s office is keen to host Modi for official engagements in Sydney, reinforcing the diplomatic and strategic partnership between Canberra and New Delhi.
However, the major public-facing event with the Indian diaspora is most likely to take place in Melbourne, which has emerged as the preferred host city for a large-scale community gathering. According to sources, Australian and Indian officials have already conducted preliminary inspections of two Melbourne venues with capacities of around 14,000 and more than 35,000, respectively.
Both venues were shortlisted due to their indoor infrastructure and roof coverage, making them suitable for Melbourne’s winter conditions in July. Organisers are aiming to ensure the event can proceed regardless of the weather, with a focus on replicating the scale and energy of previous diaspora engagements addressed by Modi overseas.
The visit is also triggering competition among key business and community organisations seeking to host high-level engagements with the Indian Prime Minister. The Australia India Business Council, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year, is understood to be working to secure a special event with Modi.
At the same time, the Australia-India CEO Forum is also in contention to host a similar high-profile gathering. Sources indicate that only one organisation is likely to be selected to host an official event, with discussions ongoing behind the scenes.
A senior official working on the Australia-India desk at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told The Australia Today that there had been encouragement for collaboration between the groups, but progress has been limited. “We want these organisations to work together, they seem reluctant to do so,” the official said.
In Victoria, the office of Jacinta Allan is also understood to be keen to host the Indian leader during his Melbourne leg. A proposal for a formal Premier’s banquet was put forward but declined by both Prime Ministers’ offices, according to sources.
Instead, that proposal has been reshaped into an education-focused engagement, with plans for a university and education roundtable led by Allan. The forum is expected to position Victoria as a leading destination for Indian students, under the banner of promoting the state as the “education state” of India.
While final details of the itinerary are still being worked through, the visit is expected to further strengthen ties between Australia and India across trade, education, diaspora engagement and strategic cooperation. It would also mark another major moment for the Indian community in Australia, particularly in Melbourne, where large-scale public events involving Modi have drawn tens of thousands in the past.
The Australia Today understands that the new High Commissioner of India to Australia, Nagesh Singh, has now arrived in Canberra and is expected to take charge next week formally. His arrival is likely to accelerate coordination between both governments and fast-track key decisions around the visit, including finalisation of events and engagements.
Officials on both sides are expected to lock in the program in the coming weeks as preparations intensify for what is shaping up to be one of the most significant bilateral visits of the year.
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