01:25 pm: Modi: Modi is not the person to receive this honour. 1.25 billion people are the one who must be given this love, respect. I humbly submit this to the children of mother India. I see people are still outside. They could not come. This grand programme that we see in Syndey – is a calling for India.
01:23 pm: Modi: I would like to thank the people who originally prepared this hall.
01:18 pm: Modi- This welcome. This respect. This enthusiasm l dedicate it to the people of India
01:17 pm: Modi- These incredible scenes and this massive reception in Sydney will galvanize India
01:17 pm: PM Modi meets Former umpire Simon Taufel and former fast bowler Brett Lee at the Allphones Arena
01:16 pm: PM Modi shakes hand with Ramesh Chandra, a cartoonist who suffers from cancer.
01:15 pm: PM Modi reaches Allphones Arena, Sydney
01:15 pm: Thousands gathered at Arena for Modi's event.
12:50 pm: 'Garba' performance at the Alphonse Arena in Sydney
11:45 am: Classical Indian singers performing in the Allphones Arena ahead of PM Modi's arrival.
11:20 am: BJP leader Satpal Maharaj inside the Allphones Area ahead of PM Modi's arrival.
Narendra Modi, who is the first prime minister to visit Australia in 28 years after Rajiv Gandhi, will be on a whirlwind six-hour visit to Sydney before proceeding to Canberra Monday night and later to Melbourne.
Thousands of Narendra Modi supporters have gathered at the Sydney Olympic Park, the venue where the Prime Minister will be addressing the Indian diaspora in a short while from now.
More than 16,000 people and a large media group have crammed the venue. About 5,000 more are expected to be watching the evening event on big screens outside.
Bollywood dancing, hypnotic drumming and the chant ‘Modi, Modi, Modi' erupted inside the Park.
On Sunday, ‘Modi Express', a special train carrying passengers left from Melbourne to Sydney for Modi's first public lecture here. For the first time in the history of Melbourne, a train service was organised under the name of a Prime Minister.
Web consultant Jignesh Sangvi, who travelled from Melbourne, on the specially chartered train said, "I see it as a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
"I have come to see the event of events," said software engineer Guru Bhat, who had travelled from Brisbane to be part of the event.
Umesh Shetty, a Brisbane neurologist who was at Allphones Arena, said Modi had raised the hopes of Indian people.
"I am not a very political person but I can see the magic of Modi has galvanised India," he said.
"Looks like it's gonna be India day in Sydney tomorrow," Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry, tweeted Sunday.
"Enthusiasm builds in Sydney. Even before PM ends Brisbane leg, excitement builds up at Sydney event," another tweet said.
"Modi fever grips Sydney," the Canberra Times said in a headline while carrying a report on its online edition.
"The city will get a dose of Modi-mania on Monday when the Indian Prime Minister makes a quick-fire, high-energy visit," it said.
We'll provide you with minute-by-minute updates of Modi's speech the moment it begins. Keep watching this space.
