A Friend Indeed! Albanese intervenes to light Sydney Opera House sails to honour PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in India after concluding his three-nation to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Australia, where the PM received a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Sydney, sails of the famous Opera House were lit up in Tricolour in honour of PM Modi. Notably, this came just weeks after the government of New South Wales controversially blocked the illumination for the coronation of King Charles III.

According to Australian media, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday confirmed that he had requested a projection of the Indian national flag on the iconic Opera House to mark Modi's visit to Sydney. Notably, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House were illuminated with the Indian tricolour to welcome PM Modi who visited the iconic landmarks on Wednesday with his Australian counterpart Albanese.

Sydney turning it up for Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi 🇦🇺🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/iSQYYyMYsb

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP)

Australian PM Intervenes to Light Opera House Sails in Honour of PM Modi

Speaking to an Australian news outlet 2GB about lighting the Opera House sails,  Albanese said there are "1.4 billion reasons" why his government wanted the Indian flag on the famous landmark. "Because it is the largest population in the world. Two-thirds of those 1.4 billion people are under 35. We want a relationship with them," he told the Australian news agency.

It is pertinent to mention that earlier New South Whales Premier Chris Minns had kept Opera House sails dark for the coronation of Charles III of the United Kingdom saying that the building should not be treated as a billboard. However, the World Heritage-listed building was lit up in honour of the Indian PM.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald's report, the country's Opposition leader Mark Speakman said the illumination for Modi’s visit was the “right thing to do”. A spokesperson for Minns said that Prime Minister Albanese’s office had made a direct request to the Sydney Opera House and that the federal government would bear the cost, the report said.

Notably, the Opera House, a multipurpose performing arts facility, is Sydney’s best-known landmark. The building also houses restaurants and a professional recording studio. In 2007 the Opera House was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.