Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his ongoing three-day visit to Australia, underscored India’s growing defence strength by recalling the decisive Operation Sindoor.

Speaking at a vibrant community event in Melbourne, he declared that while the blasts struck terrorist hideouts, their echoes reverberated across the world. He asked the audience whether they felt pride when India carried out such a resolute strike against terror camps, drawing loud applause from the diaspora.

Operation Sindoor was India’s calibrated response to the brutal Pahalgam terror attack, which had claimed twenty-six civilian lives. The mission successfully destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting facilities of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Over one hundred terrorists were eliminated, reinforcing India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and demonstrating the precision of its armed forces.

Modi emphasised that India’s rise as a manufacturing power has gone hand in hand with its strategic strength. He noted that in the past twelve years, the ‘Make in India’ initiative has evolved into a global brand. Indian mobile phones, electronics, automobiles, and pharmaceutical products have expanded their footprint across international markets, showcasing the country’s industrial transformation.

He highlighted India’s thriving start-up ecosystem, pointing out that more than 2,00,000 start-ups are registered and over 4,000 new ventures are being added every month.

He mentioned that sectors once closed to private entrepreneurship are now flourishing, with India’s first private space start-up preparing to launch a satellite on its own rocket, marking a milestone in the nation’s space journey.

The Prime Minister also shared examples of India’s digital progress, citing platforms such as DigiLocker and e-Sanjeevani, which have revolutionised document storage and teleconsultation services. These initiatives, he said, reflect the strides India has made in governance and technology over the past decade.

Shortly after the event, Modi described the atmosphere as “electrifying” in a post on X. He expressed gratitude to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for attending the program, praising his speech as outstanding and reflective of his deep commitment to India-Australia friendship. Modi noted that Albanese’s presence added immense value to the occasion.

Anthony Albanese, in his remarks, lauded the Indian diaspora as the “living bridge” between the two nations. He said the energy and enthusiasm at the Melbourne event symbolised the growing strength of the bilateral partnership between India and Australia, two democracies bound by shared values and strategic interests.

Modi’s visit to Australia has already yielded significant outcomes across defence, maritime security, energy, critical technologies, education, mining, research, and cultural cooperation.

These developments have further expanded the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reinforcing the trajectory of closer collaboration between the two countries.

ANI