There is no doubt that the popularity of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the world stage has many Australian politicians envious of his standing in the international community. Labor leader Bill Shorten is one such politician who reportedly said “I’m yet to get a selfie with the PM of India – so don’t assume you’ll be seeing any for a while”.
Shorten was also reported saying, “I have to be honest, I am certainly envious of the fact that Prime Minister Modi has so much international renown”.
It’s reported that Shorten’s admiration of the Indian leader even extended to an invitation to the Indian PM from a Labor state government – something not often given to foreign dignitaries. This gesture spoke volumes in terms of how Australian politicians saw India and its leadership.
Given Shorten’s admiration for Modi, it’s possible to say that other Australian politicians may also be jealous of the Indian leader’s worldwide renown.