Harris Park area renamed 'Little India' as PM Modi touches down in Sydney
Locals have been trying to change the name for nearly 10 years.
Contributors
Breaking News
After years of campaigning, a small precinct including Wigram, Station and Marion streets in the suburb of Harris Park has officially been dubbed 'Little India'.
A foundation plaque, which will be moved to the area, was unveiled by Anthony Albanese and Indian PM Narendra Modi at a special, massively attended event at Qudos Bank Arena in Homebush yesterday.
Harris Park has one of the largest percentages of Indian-born residents throughout Australia at 45.4% and is a thriving commercial and cultural hub of growing renown throughout Sydney. Efforts to establish a 'Little India' precinct in the suburb have been ongoing since 2015.
It's the first Australian visit by an Indian head of state in 10 years, and Australia's Indian population has nearly doubled in that time. Prime Minister Modi was scheduled to engage in further bilateral talks with Albanese on Wednesday.
The Indian PM also met with a number of local politicians including new Parramatta mayor Sameer Pandey, as well business and industry leaders including Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest.
Another big development announced at the event was the establishment of a new centre for Australia-India relations in Parramatta that will be "a testament to the vitality of the Indian-Australian experience.
