India's Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, performed aarti at the temple and offered prayers for peace and global harmony.

"My mum taught me to stand up for myself and multiculturalism… No Australian can make me feel like a stranger in my country.”

"I look forward to catching up with you soon, Prime Minister, and to many more years of friendship and progress."

She later told the room she would be more careful in future to explain the point she intended to make, and criticised sections of the media for portraying her motives unfairly.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the community must not be “used as fodder in an internal Liberal Party dispute” over migration.

“These are just the sort of Australians that the Liberal Party should be absolutely going out of their way to make friends with.”

The government called on Chaudhry to move beyond traditional politics and recognise that Fiji could soon hold its first-ever referendum—a historic step that strengthens democracy for all communities.

Australia remains one of the best countries in the world. But preserving its strengths requires vigilance. Extremists on both the left and the right must be resisted.

Prof. Prasad thanked Australia for its budget support in recent years and outlined Fiji’s National Development Plan, which prioritises investments in water, sewerage, health, and critical infrastructure.

The audience included 16 primary school teachers representing Fiji at the WAGGGS Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, alongside Fijians in India for medical treatment and studies.