Australian PM Anthony Albanese Begins 4-Day India Visit With Holi Celebration, Sabarmati Visit. Top Points

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commenced his four-day state visit to India on Wednesday. Here are the key points from the first day of his four-day tour of the country.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese During First Day Of His Four-Day Visit To India

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commenced his four-day state visit to India on Wednesday. It’s the first visit by an Australian prime minister in six years and it came on the heels of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), which entered into force in December.

The Australian prime minister is accompanied by Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farell, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King, and other senior officials, as well as a high-level corporate delegation, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

After The First Day Of His Four-Day Tour To The Country, These Are The Key Points:

• 'Historic Opportunity To Strengthen Our Relationship': Australia PM Tweeted Ahead Of His Arrival

Anthony Albanese took to Twitter on Wednesday ahead of his visit, saying in a series of tweets, "Today I’m bringing a delegation of ministers and business leaders to India. At the kind invitation of PM Narendra Modi, we'll be visiting Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi."

"We have a historic opportunity to strengthen our relationship with India at a time of extraordinary growth and dynamism in our region," he added.

We have an historic opportunity to strengthen our relationship with India, at a time of extraordinary growth and dynamism in our region.

Australia is a better place because of our large, diverse Indian-Australian community.

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 8, 2023

• Australia PM Celebrates Holi At Gujarat's Raj Bhavan

On the first day of his India visit, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese celebrated Holi at Raj Bhavan in Gujarat's capital of Gandhinagar, saying the festival of colours symbolises the triumph of good over evil and its message is an enduring reminder for all.

Honoured to celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad, India. Holi’s message of renewal through the triumph of good over evil is an enduring reminder for all of us. pic.twitter.com/DSyxcY02bX

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 8, 2023

• 'Gandhian Values Continue To Inspire World': Australian PM Visits Sabarmati Ashram 

As he arrived in Ahmedabad on his first India tour, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, saying his values and philosophy continue to inspire the world and a lot can be learned from his life.

He arrived at the city's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in the evening and went straight to the Ashram, Mahatma Gandhi's former home that also served as one of the main centres of India's freedom struggle.

• Australian PM Announces Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism: 

Australian Prime Minister announced that his country and the Indian government had completed the 'Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism.' Albanese was in India for a visit and was speaking at a programme to officially announce that Deakin University in Australia would be establishing an international branch campus at GIFT City in Gujarat's Gandhinagar.

"There is a significant development in our bilateral education relations. I am pleased to inform you that the Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism has been completed," he was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI. 

"This new mechanism means that if you are an Indian student who is studying or have studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognised when you return home. Or, if you are a member of Australia's 500,000-strong Indian diaspora, you will be more confident that your Indian qualification will be recognised in Australia," he said. 

He also announced a new scholarship programme for Indian students interested in studying in Australia.

Albanese said: "I am pleased to announce a new scholarship offering — the Maitri scholarships. This is for Indian students who wish to study in Australia for a period of up to four years. The scholarships are part of the larger Maitri programme, which aims to strengthen cultural, educational, and community ties between Australia and India."

• PM Modi, Australian Counterpart To Watch Test Match On Thursday: 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese will attend the first day of the fourth Test between Australia and India on March 9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, PTI reported citing an official. 

Since a large number of spectators are expected at the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ahmedabad police have deployed more than 3,000 cops to guard the stadium and surrounding areas in the city, according to Neeraj Badgujar, additional commissioner of police, sector 1.

"Our PM Narendra Modi and Australian PM will watch the Test match at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 9. The police have already completed all security arrangements. We have nearly 200 police officers and 3,000 policemen on the ground to secure the stadium and other locations," Badgujar was quoted as saying by PTI.

(With Inputs From Agencies)