)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that there is no bond that is stronger than that which is between two democracies, adding that the honour of his addressing the Parliaments of Australia and Fiji, a first for any Indian Prime Minister, was accorded to him to due to the respect that the nation has in the world.
The Prime Minister wrote a blog reflecting upon his experiences during his trip, which included him attending five summits and 20 bilateral meetings.
"I had the opportunity to address the Parliaments of Australia and Fiji during this visit. Coming from the world's largest democracy, it is always heartening to visit these temples of democracies and to share thoughts from the haloed portals of their four walls. There is no bond that is stronger than a bond between two democracies. On one hand it gave me an opportunity to reach out to the wider political leadership of these nations and on the other hand it opened new avenues for co-operation. Once again, the lawmakers were very upbeat about India," he wrote.
"Both addresses were a first for any Indian Prime Minister. In fact, I was told that my address to the Fijian Parliament was a first by any world leader. This is not a personal victory for Narendra Modi, but it is the respect that the 125 crore people of India have in the eyes of the global community," he added.
Prime Minister Modi returned home on Thursday morning after a successful 10-day three-nation trip. He first visited Myanmar, where he attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS). He then travelled to Australia to attend the G-20 Summit and hold bilateral talks with that nation, before travelling to Fiji, where the Prime Minister said India could play a significant role in creating a "Digital" Fiji, and suggested that the island-nation could serve as a hub for stronger Indian engagement with the Pacific Islands.
