STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator SHARMA (New South Wales) (13:30): This Saturday marks the 80th Independence Day of India, commemorating the birth of the world's largest democracy. Indian independence was hard-earned and hard-fought, driven by the non-violent resistance and campaigns of many of millions of everyday Indians, whose efforts brought self-determination to one of the world's oldest civilisations and an end to nearly 200 years of colonial rule.

So this occasion is one for celebration, and I know it will be celebrated throughout India. But it will also be celebrated in gatherings across Australia. Australia is home to one of the largest and most active, vigorous, dynamic and contributing Indian diasporas in the world.

It is almost one million strong and, as we will see from tonight's census, it is probably growing at a significant rate still. I know many Australians of Indian heritage, amongst whom I count myself, will be with others—neighbours and friends—to celebrate their culture, their heritage, their traditions and their values, as well as their Australianness. I look forward to joining the Indian Australian community this weekend in Sydney for some of those celebrations.

Indian Independence Day is also an opportunity to reflect upon the shared bonds and values that bind Australia and India together—not only shared beliefs in democracy and the rule of law but shared values and interests across the world and shared beliefs in and a shared respect for pluralism and tolerance. It is these beliefs that underpin the growing trade, defence, security and commercial relationship between our two countries, underpinned by recent free trade agreements and other commercial relationships.

But at the heart of this relationship lies the community—the people-to-people ties—which adds so much to our bilateral relationships, whether it's through businesses, education, enterprise or academia. Thank you to the Indian Australian community.