PM receives traditional aboriginal welcome in Sydney
Sydney:Australia’s aboriginal dancers on Monday gave a traditional welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrived here on a whirlwind six-hour visit to attend a reception hosted by the Indian community for him.
Modi spent about five minutes at the lobby of Hotel Pullman and watched the four male dancers, who also sang, perform a few dance sequences. Modi, who sat in a chair, also clapped his hands at the end of each sequences.
He later shook hands with dancers. He got a boomerang as a gift from the dancers. A boomerang is a thrown tool, typically constructed as a flat aerofoil, that is designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direc-tion of its flight.
A boomerang is designed to return to the thrower. It is well known as a weapon used by Indigenous Australians for hunting. Boomerangs have been historically used for hunting, as well as a sport, and entertainment. They are commonly thought of as an Australian icon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott here today and the two countries are likely to sign four to five agreements and MoUs on transfer of sentenced prisoners, combating narco-tics trade and social security. Modi, who arrived in Australia last week on the second leg of this three-nation 10-day tour, aims at a strategic partnership with Australia to promote India’s economic goals and security interests, including maritime security.
“While we have much in common with Australia, our political, strategic and economic relations have been below potential,” Modi had said in New Delhi ahead of his visit. Pitching for closer strategic partnership with Australia, he had said it will support India’s economic goals, “promote our security interests, including maritime security, and reinforce our efforts to foster a climate of peace and stability in our extended continental and maritime neighbourhood.” The two countries are likely to sign four to five agreements and MoUs after Modi’s talks with Abbott.
The pacts relate to transfer of sentenced prisoners, cooperation in combating narcotics trade, social security, tourism and culture. Modi and Abbott had summit talks in Delhi last month during which India and Australia sealed a civil nuclear deal.
The two leaders had directed their respective negotiators to conclude the administrative arrangements pertaining to the civil nuclear pact at an early date that will facilitate uranium trade. Australia has about 40 per cent of the world’s uranium reserves and exports nearly 7,000 tonnes of yellow cake annually.
India and Australia had commenced negotiations for the sale of uranium in early 2012. Modi, the first prime minister to visit Australia in 28 years after Rajiv Gandhi in 1986, is also expected to address a joint sitting of the Australian Parliament here. There are 450,000 people of Indian descent in this coun-try.(PTI)