PM Modi departs for Melbourne, after his successful Canberra sojourn

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday left for Melbourne after completing his successful Canberra leg of his four-city tour of Australia.

Prime Minister Modi will visit the 161-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG ) during his visit to the city and attend two events hosted by his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Modi addressed the joint session of the Australian Parliament,he placed Australia at the centre of India's vision of a prosperous and regional order, at the juncture of the Indian and Pacific oceans, at a time when security and maritime navigation were valued more highly than ever before.

During his opening statement at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Prime Minister Modi said that both nations were seeking early closure to a civil nuclear agreement that will give Australia a chance to participate in one of the world's most safe and secure nuclear energy programmes. Besides, the two nations also decided to sign five pacts on several areas.

Kickstarting his day's engagement, Prime Minister Modi first visited at the War Memorial here, where he paid his tributes to those Australians who had died at war while serving their country.

Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a warm ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Australian Parliament where he inspected a guard of honour.

Earlier on Monday, he arrived in Canberra on the third leg of his four-city tour of Australia from Sydney where he was received by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, reflecting the significance attached by Australia to the visit of Prime Minister Modi that comes 28 years after Rajiv Gandhi.

After addressing the Australian parliament here, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to travel to Melbourne, before departing for Fiji for the third leg of his three-nation, 10 day trip.