India to open new consulate in Brisbane, announces PM Modi at Sydney event
PM Modi unveiled plans to open India’s fourth consulate in Australia at Brisbane, the capital of Queensland state
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday unveiled plans to open its fourth consulate in Australia at Brisbane, the capital of Queensland state, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the Indian diaspora.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a diaspora event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney that was also attended by his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. “A new Indian consulate will be opened soon in Brisbane,” he said.
India has a high commission in the national capital Canberra and there are currently consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. There is also an honorary consulate in Brisbane.
The oldest Indian consulate was established in Sydney in 1941 as the trade commission of India. A consulate was established in Melbourne in September 2006, and another in Perth in October 2011.
Brisbane is the most populous city of Queensland state and the third-most populous city in Australia, with a population of about 2.6 million. Indian-origin residents make up the third-largest diaspora in Brisbane.
According to Australia’s 2016 census, more than 619,000 people were of Indian ancestry. They make up 2.8% of the country’s population and this figure included 592,000 people born in India. Since then, the number has risen to about 750,000.
