Prime Minister's speech at the reception hosted by the Prime Minister of Australia

Published By : Admin | November 18, 2014 | 16:32 IST

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition, Ministers, Leaders of Victoria, Friends, All the eminent people gathered here and Our great cricketers,

This has been an extraordinary visit to Australia.

You hosted a great G20 Summit. It showcased Australia`s global role.

In the past four days, I have experienced everything that Australia is known for natural beauty, sunshine, great cities, friendly and cheerful people, organisational skills and strengths that have made you an economic force in the world.

Prime Minister, you have been truly generous with your hospitality and warmth.

I am deeply honoured that you have come to Melbourne to host such a wonderful reception.

This memory will stay with me forever;

But, I can tell you that all Indians are deeply touched by this Reception.

Many Indians wake up early on a cold December morning to watch on TV a Boxing Day Test at this magnificent stadium! I know that India has not done particularly well in this ground! But, we won the 1985 Champions Trophy here. And, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev are here!

As is Laxman, who especially loved to bat against Australia. To speak to you at this historic ground comes close to scoring a century here especially against McGrath and Brett Lee. I met him yesterday. The best I managed was to head the Gujarat Cricket Association.

This would be a deserving venue for the Cricket World Cup finals 2015. I hope that our two teams will play that match.

No business is serious enough to keep an Australian and an Indian  from discussing this great game.

We can learn from Australia`s famous sporting skills in other areas, too.

And we have decided to collaborate on a Sports University in India.

What we also see is the importance of relationships between people.

It is said that Melbourne is the best city in the world to live in.

Sydney might not agree!

India can learn from Australian experience and benefit from your expertise.

India is experiencing urbanisation at a rapid pace. Studies suggest that by 2031 11% of the world`s urban population might be in Indian cities.

We already have over 50 cities which have a population of more than 1 million.

Urbanisation can be an enormous opportunity.

In India, we have yet to build much of our urban infrastructure for the future.

Our plans include 100 smart cities; revival of heritage cities; building modern solid waste management and waste water treatment systems in 500 cities; and, cleaning up our rivers.

This is part of our larger vision of a sustainable future for our country, and transforming the quality of life of our people. In cities and villages alike.

I want to build a future, when every Indian, can say, yes, my life has improved and my environment has become better.

I am confident that we will achieve it with the support of the people of India, and through the talent and energy of 800 million youth, below the age of 35 A generation that is eager for change and committed to work for it.

A successful India will be a vast opportunity and a force of good for the world.

We look forward to closer partnership  with friends like Australia.

Prime Minister Abbott and I have spent a good part of this week together in two countries and four cities.

I have also met the political leadership, business leaders and the vibrant Indian community.

We have achieved a lot in the last few days.

One thing we all agree on. The bonds between the countries are made strong by joined hands of our people.

So, our exchanges in sports, tourism, education and culture are great source of strength for our relationship.

As I see the warmth and friendship for India today and over the last five days. I feel great confidence in the future of our relationship.

My memorable visit to Australia  ends tonight, but a new journey of our relationship has begun.

Thank you  and hope you are all coming to India soon!

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PM chairs 47th Annual General Meeting of Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society in New Delhi
June 23, 2025
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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society at Teen Murti Bhawan in New Delhi, earlier today.

During the meeting, Prime Minister emphasised that museums hold immense significance across the world and have the power to make us experience history. He underlined the need to make continuous efforts to generate public interest in museums and to enhance their prestige in society.

Prime Minister put forward a visionary concept of a “Museum Map of India”, aimed at providing a unified cultural and informational landscape of museums across the country.

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Underlining the importance of increased use of technology, Prime Minister suggested development of a comprehensive national database of all museums in the country, incorporating key metrics such as footfall and quality standards. He also suggested organising regular workshops for those managing and operating museums, with a focus on capacity building and knowledge sharing.

Prime Minister highlighted the need for fresh initiatives, such as creation of a committee consisting of five persons from each State below the age of 35 years in order to bring out fresh ideas and perspectives on museums in the country.

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Prime Minister also highlighted that with the creation of museum on all Prime Ministers, justice has been done to their legacy, including that of the first Prime Minister of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. This was not the case before 2014.

Prime Minister also asked for engaging top influencers to visit the museums and also invite the officials of various embassies to Indian museums to increase the awareness about the rich heritage preserved in Indian Museums.

Prime Minister advised that a compilation of all the legal battles and documents relating to the Emergency period may be prepared and preserved in light of the completion of 50 years after the Emergency.

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Prime Minister highlighted the importance of preserving and documenting the present in a systematic manner. He noted that by strengthening our current systems and records, we can ensure that future generations and researchers in particular will be able to study and understand this period without difficulty.

Other Members of the PMML Society also shared their suggestions and insights for further enhancement of the Museum and Library.

Prime Minister also planted a Kapur (Cinnamomum camphora) tree in the lawns of Teen Murti House, symbolizing growth, heritage, and sustainability.