Quad meet cancelled, PM Modi may still visit Australia: Albanese

Sydney, May 17 (IANS) Confirming the cancellation of next week's Quad meeting, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that it is still possible that his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will visit Sydney next week.

The development comes after US President Joe Biden pulled out from the meeting at the last minute citing the domestic debt ceiling crisis, and now all four leaders of the Quad grouping -- the US, Japan, India and Australia -- are likely to instead meet on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Japan this weekend, the ABC News reported.

The meeting was slated to take place on May 24.

Modi is scheduled to travel to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia this month with the power-packed visit concluding 'Down Under' where he will address the diaspora.

"Prime Minister Modi has a bilateral program that is organised, so I'm certain that he will be here. And, of course, we have a very large growing diaspora here in Australia and there are events including a large event at Qudos Bank Arena to be held next Tuesday night (May 23)," Albanese said in a statement.

More than 20,000 members of the Indian diaspora have registered so far for the grand community reception organised for Modi in Sydney during his visit to Australia on May 23.

The event -- 'Australia Welcomes Modi' -- organised by non-profit Indian Australian Diaspora Foundation (IADF) will provide Indians Down Under an opportunity to see Modi and listen to his address to the community.

According to media reports, the Parramatta Council has formally extended an invitation to Modi to visit Harris Park, informally referred to as 'Little India', this time.

Albanese, who visited India this year, formally extended the invite to his Indian counterpart.

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