Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially unveiled a plaque marking Harris Park’s business district as Australia’s first ‘Little India’.
Modi received a rock star welcome from over 18,000 Indian-Australians when he visited Sydney Olympic Park’s Qudos Bank Arena last week.
Joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on stage, Modi revealed the long-awaited plaque to establish the Little India cultural precinct in Harris Park.
Federal Member for Parramatta Andrew Charlton welcomed the announcement, adding that the Little India cultural precinct will help to grow the business district of Harris Park.
“This is a massive milestone for Australia India relations and a sign of how far we have come in building this relationship,” he said.
“India and Australia are natural partners. Not only do we have strong people-to-people links and shared interests in the Indo-Pacific, but we have a huge opportunity to grow our economic ties.”
Also announced during Modi’s visit was the $42 million Centre for Australia-India Relation’s (CAIR) location in Parramatta. Opening later this year, the CAIR will focus on promoting further bilateral relations between Australia and India, across government and non-government institutions through enhanced policy dialogue.
“Parramatta has the largest Indian diaspora community in Australia, with over 33,450 Indian-born residents calling the local area home,” Charlton said.
“I am delighted to see Parramatta recognised as a key cultural hub for the Australian-Indian community with the establishment of the Little India precinct and location of CAIR.”
It wasn’t the only milestone moment to happen in Parramatta for Indian-Australians last week, with the announcements coming a day after Parramatta Councillor Sameer Pandey was elected the first Indian-born Lord Mayor in Australia.
Calling it an “exciting moment for the Australian-Indian community,” Pandey said that the Parramatta Council area was a fitting location for the event.
“Parramatta is the heart of global Sydney and this visit by Prime Minister Modi in his first visit to Australia in a decade only reaffirms that,” he said.
“We are honoured he chose to visit the City of Parramatta, which is home to one of the largest populations of Indian and South-East Asian people in Australia and took the time to meet with Council.
“The location of the Centre for Australia India Relations in Parramatta and recognition of the Little India precinct in Harris Park cements Parramatta’s place as a cultural hub for the Indian-Australian community.”
Pandey said the bronze plaque is intended to be attached to a foundation stone at the gateway to Wigram Street, Marion Street and Station Street East in Harris Park – a precinct already known by many in the community as Little India. The City of Parramatta is engaging closely with the community and Charlton to secure grant funding from the Investing in Our Communities Program to fund the installation of the plaque.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.