Australia’s relationship with India is built almost entirely on “people-to-people links.” According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s An India Economic Strategy to 2035, this explicitly means growing the Indian diaspora in Australia as the main driver of closer bilateral ties.

It is 'working'. The Indian-born population in Australia has more than doubled in a decade, from around 449,000 in 2015 to 971,000 in mid-2025, now overtaking people born in England as our largest overseas-born group. India has become the top source of permanent migrants and remains one of the largest sources of international students. 

India is a shaky ally at best. It preaches “strategic autonomy,” keeps deep defence and energy ties with Russia, and maintains a complex relationship with China. Yet Australia is expected to treat India as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific while we rapidly change our own demographics to make the relationship “work.” Turning parts of our cities into Little India precincts and flooding migration pipelines is not a sustainable alliance strategy, it is quite literally turning our country into India to be treated more favourably by them.

Each Modi visit tightens the grip. In 2023, Anthony Albanese welcomed Modi at a packed Sydney stadium event, declared him “the boss,” and renamed Harris Park to little India. This time in Melbourne the pattern repeats on a larger scale: a major “Melbourne Meets Modi” event at Marvel Stadium, expected to draw even bigger crowds, with Jacinta Allan and Albanese on hand for more deals. Docklands, where the event is being held, is expected to be made Melbourne’s new “Little India” precinct, while further education and migration pacts are anticipated at both state and federal levels.

This comes at a real cost to Australians. Rapid migration from India is adding pressure to the housing crisis, rents, congestion, and infrastructure. Polling shows India is viewed unfavourably by many Australians, yet our governments continue prioritising this relationship over domestic needs. The issue is not individual people, it is Canberra’s policy choices: special deals, symbolic precincts, and demographic engineering that put foreign relations ahead of Australian sovereignty and living standards. 

This must stop. 

Join us this Thursday, 9 July at 2:30pm near Marvel Stadium to say NO.