Narendra Modi arrives in Melbourne for talks with Anthony Albanese amid protests

Narendra Modi has touched down in Melbourne for talks with Anthony Albanese as the city prepares to host a massive celebration of the Indian prime minister at Docklands Stadium.

Organisers have predicted that more than 20,000 people will attend the "Melbourne Meets Modi" gathering with the Indian leader and Mr Albanese, although protesters have also vowed to show up to demand Australia put pressure on Mr Modi over his human rights record.

Australia and India are expected to make a host of announcements in the wake of their talks, including new agreements to expand defence and security cooperation and an overhaul of rules for uranium exports to India as both governments seek to boost trade.

New Delhi has flagged that it wants to hugely increase its nuclear power industry to help power data centre development and further cut India's fossil fuel dependence.

Analysts say that both countries will be intent on delivering real progress on military cooperation, defence industry, critical minerals, renewable energy and trade as the bilateral relationship matures.

Trade has also boomed between Australia and India in recent years after they signed a partial free trade deal in 2022 that cut tariffs and opened up markets for a host of goods and services.

'Important relationship' for Australia

The two leaders are also expected to discuss ongoing negotiations on a more comprehensive trade deal which tackles the outstanding (and most sensitive) market access issues, although both countries are playing down the prospect of reaching any sort of breakthrough on this visit.

Mr Modi is set to meet business leaders in Melbourne this morning as Canberra and Delhi work to diversify their trading relationship and realise new economic opportunities.

Yesterday, Mr Albanese said India was "such an important relationship for Australia", pointing out that it was on track to become the world's third-largest economy.

He also heaped praise on the Indian diaspora in Australia ahead of the stadium event.

"They're proud of their heritage, but they're also proud Australians," he said.

Some praise, others protest Modi's visit

The visit is also likely to reignite debate inside Australia about India's trajectory under Mr Modi, who has emerged as one of India's most consequential leaders since Independence.

The prime minister remains hugely popular among a large swathe of the Indian diaspora, who say he has raised India's international profile, fostered its clean energy revolution and delivered an extraordinary infrastructure boom.

But some critics in the Indian diaspora say Mr Modi's government has institutionalised discrimination against minorities, particularly Muslims, with the Alliance Against Islamophobia vowing to protest against "bigotry and persecution" outside the community event this evening.

Earlier this week, Australian Federal Police issued a warning to a "young person" who issued an online death threat to Mr Modi in connection with the event.

Supporters of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent homeland for Sikhs in India, are also expected to protest against the prime minister.

Amnesty International has pressed the government to apply pressure to Mr Modi's human rights record, saying Mr Albanese needed to press India over its "commitment to human rights, democratic freedoms and the rule of law".

When Mr Modi last visited Australia in 2023, Mr Albanese drew plenty of media attention in India when he called the prime minister "the boss" — in a reference to Bruce Springsteen — in front of a crowd of thousands at a Sydney arena.

Members of the Indian Australian community from across the country are expected to travel into Melbourne for the event with Mr Modi tonight.