On November 19, 2023, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and Australian Deputy PM, Richard Marles, will be leading a host of celebrities who will be among the audience at the World Cup Cricket Final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad.
Other Dignitaries
A host of Bollywood Stars, political figures, families of cricket players and other Very Important Persons (VIPs) are expected to add color to the much-anticipated finale clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is also expected to attend the match the same day.
Statement by Gujarat Government
The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, held a high-level meeting in Gandhinagar on November 17, 2023, to oversee the security and other arrangements. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will attend the match on November 19, 2023. Chief Minister Patel reviewed security arrangements with top officials, a press release from the State government said. Richard Marles, who is also the Defence Minister of Australia, was scheduled to meet in Delhi on November 20, 2023, for the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting.
Security Arrangements
The State Authorities have enhanced the security in the city and around the stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, where the game will be played. Besides the local police, other forces will be deployed to manage the event in which more than one lakh spectators are expected to participate in the event. The police officers have informed the CM about the elaborate arrangements in place for the smooth conduct of the match, including the stationing of 4500 personnel to provide security to the ground, teams, and VIPs, along with traffic management.
Before the commencement of the final match, the Indian Air Force (IAF) Surya Kiran team aerobatics team is scheduled to put on an air show. While the Indian team reached the place in the evening on November 16, 2023, the Australian team reached the next day.
Previous Occasions
Earlier this year, PM Modi and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, had attended a cricket match during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. It was the fourth match of the series, which was held in the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This is the second event in the state of Gujarat in which a top functionary from Australia visited the state.
India-Australia Education Diplomacy
Earlier this month, Jason Clare, MP of Australia, and his Indian counterpart Dharmendra Pradhan were in Gujarat to open the campus of two Australian universities at the GIFT city in Gandhinagar. Australia’s Deakin University and the University of Wollongong have opened campuses in GIFT City. Moreover, the Australia-India Institute, a prominent think tank, held its annual oration delivered by the Australian Minister in Gandhinagar.
