Modi met with support and human rights protests as he arrives in Melbourne

Narendra Modi receives red carpet welcome in Melbourne as fans and protesters gather

Narendra Modi is greeted by Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan among other dignitaries after his arrival at Melbourne Airport. (Reuters: Hollie Adams)

Narendra Modi has arrived in Melbourne for talks with Anthony Albanese.

While many in the Indian diaspora have welcomed his visit, others are demanding that pressure be put on the Indian prime minister over his human rights record.

Australia and India are expected to make several announcements, including on defence and security cooperation.

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.

Narendra Modi arrives at Melbourne Airport. (Reuters: Hollie Adams )

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.

India Chair at the Lowy Institute Shruti Pandalai told the ABC that the two leaders would have a packed agenda, but she expected a focus on defence.

"We've seen transformative cooperation in terms of defence cooperation and joint training, but you need to get defence firms on both sides to cooperate as well if you want defence industry links to boom," she said.

Both Australia and India share anxieties about the way subsea cables have been targeted globally, and are increasingly conscious of the way maritime choke points can be targeted in the wake of the war in Iran.

She said the leaders would likely unveil a new road map on maritime security, which would further institutionalise coastguard cooperation and maritime intelligence sharing.

"Both sides want to present themselves as credible anchors and partners for the Indo-Pacific and reassure the Indian Ocean region … at a time when threats are multiplying and when you want to mitigate the unpredictability of US foreign policy uncertainty," she said.

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

Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese during the Indian prime minister's last official visit to Australia in 2023. (AAP: Dean Lewins)

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.

Narendra Modi received a red carpet arrival in Melbourne, but critics want Australia to put the pressure on him over his human rights record. (Reuters: Hollie Adams)

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.