When you think Melbourne, you immediately think of cricket. It is also the city with the largest population of Indians in Australia.
The capital city of Australia's southeastern state of Victoria has been attracting Indian immigrants who find it prosperous and safe. At the same time, its top-notch universities are a big draw for students from India. About three percent of Melbourne's population are of Indian Origin. From 2001 onward, Indian migration into Melbourne has tripled, and it is expected that the demographics will change further, with the Indian immigrants surpassing that of the Chinese. Migration statistics show that Indians are the second-largest migrant group to Australia after the British.
The sizable Indian population means that they are gaining influence in local politics, culture, and economy.
Over a third of the Indian population in Australia are settled in Melbourne.
A vast majority of the Indian immigrants here live in the area stretching from Noble Park to Cranbourne East, on the opposite side of the bay, in places such as Wyndham, Werribee, Point Cook, and Laverton. There is a 'Little India' in Greater Dandenong, while Point Cook was nicknamed 'Mumbai Cook' due to the prevalence of Indian families living there.
In 2021, federal ministers Alan Tudge and Michael Sukkar inaugurated Australia's first Indian cultural center in Melbourne suburb Rowville. Funded by a federal government grant of $2.5 million, it has space for education, sports, cultural activities, and a museum.
Melbourne Federation Square is where Indians gather to celebrate Diwali. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is highly acclaimed.
There are several associations of the Indian community in Australia's Melbourne city. The Melbourne Chapter of ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to be a platform to create space for generating opportunities for the professional growth of its members. Bengali Society of Melbourne (BSM) represents the Bengali origin populace in Melbourne, while the Melbourne Malayalee Federation Inc takes care of the interests of the Keralites in Melbourne.