PM Narendra Modi, Australian PM Tony Abbott leave the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra (Associated Press photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched his "Make in India" plan to top Australian CEOs, promising ease of doing business and an end to red tape. He is in Melbourne, the last of the four cities he is visiting in Australia and will also attend a reception and dinner hosted by Australian Prime Minster Tony Abbott at the famous 161-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Here are the latest developments:
Many legendary cricketers, including Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev and Australian Stuart Clarke, will attend the MCG reception. Excited young Indian-Australians have begun lining up hours before and said they hoped to catch a glimpse of Mr Modi.
At the meeting with Australian business, Mr Modi said, "Asia Pacific looks forward to working with Australia. Assure you my personal attention... I invite you to India. This is the best time to be in India, both for business and life."
Later today, the PM will leave Australia for Fiji where he will meet more regional leaders and will then head home, concluding his 10-day three-nation tour.
In Canberra earlier today, Mr Modi addressed the Australian Parliament and said in his 25-minute speech, "Australia will not be at the periphery of our vision, but at the centre of our thought."
The two countries have established a framework for bilateral security cooperation to advance regional peace and to combat terrorism through a comprehensive global strategy.
Mr Modi addressed the Parliament after holding bilateral talks with Mr Abbott. The two countries have signed five agreements on social security, transfer of sentenced prisoners, combating narcotics trade, arts and culture, and tourism.
During the talks, the two sides sought an early conclusion of negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and closure to their landmark nuclear deal that will facilitate the sale of uranium to India.
Mr Modi and Mr Abbott decided that the security cooperation framework will be implemented according to an action plan which provides for an annual summit, foreign policy exchanges and coordination, including an annual meeting of prime ministers and other officials.
Mr Abbott, who referred to the Indian PM by his first name, said, "Trade means jobs, trade means prosperity, we both need more jobs and prosperity... There are two 'can-do' prime ministers in this chamber today. We can make it happen."
Before Canberra, he spent six hours in Sydney crowned by a blockbuster reception, where he addressed a 20,000-strong crowd at the Allphones Arena of the Olympic Park. He had earlier attended the G-20 summit in Brisbane.
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