A rock star welcome and human rights protests to greet India’s prime minister Narendra Modi in Australia

India prime minister Narendra Modi will visit Australia for the first time in three years as he meets Anthony Albanese in Melbourne. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters View image in fullscreen India prime minister Narendra Modi will visit Australia for the first time in three years as he meets Anthony Albanese in Melbourne. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters A rock star welcome and human rights protests to greet India’s prime minister Narendra Modi in Australia Amnesty International says Albanese has opportunity to ‘reaffirm mutual commitment’ to rule of law as thousands in diaspora expected at stadium event Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Australia in three years has sparked calls for the federal government to raise human rights concerns, as excitement builds within the nation’s Indian diaspora. Modi’s visit begins on Wednesday evening and marks his third since becoming prime minister. It will see him return to Melbourne after more than a decade, with a stadium event expected to attract more than 20,000 people. Anthony Albanese will meet his Indian counterpart in Melbourne, with the pair attending the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit running from 8-10 July. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Ahead of the three-day visit, the Australian federal police issued a warning to a young person alleged to have made a threat to the foreign leader, while an anti-Islamophobia organisation has pledged to take to the streets to protest Modi’s visit. Dowry murders in India no longer spark public anger or debate, study finds Read more Human rights organisation Amnesty International urged the Albanese government to raise India’s human rights record in the bilateral talks, with a statement describing the visit as an “opportunity to reaffirm mutual commitment to human rights, democratic freedoms and the rule of law”. The statement called for Australia to encourage India to ensure journalists and human rights advocates could work free for intimidation and address discrimination of religious and ethnic minorities. On Thursday, a community event to honour Modi at Marvel Stadium will be attended by thousands. Pranav Aggarwal, a spokesperson for the Australia India Foundation, which is hosting the free event on Thursday, said a crowd of between 25,000 to 30,000 people was expected. “It’s a celebration of the Australia-India success story,” he said. “The event is a celebration as proud Australians to welcome the prime minister of the largest democracy in the world, a natural ally for Australia.” The “Melbourne Meets Modi” event will also feature performances representing Australia’s Indian diaspora. The non-profit organisation, Alliance Against Islamophobia, is planning to protest against Modi’s visit on Thursday evening. The organisation said the demonstration would speak out against “bigotry and persecution”, including anti-Muslim hate and caste oppression. Critic