It was worrying to see our Prime Minister sycophantly refer to Indian PM Narendra Modi as "The Boss" during the recent rally at Sydney's Qudos Arena, as the crowds cheered and cheered at what has been described as a rock star welcome.
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No doubt this analogy spurred Anthony Albanese's reference to Bruce Springsteen, but "whether Modi is a Bruce Springsteen fan or not, light-heartedly or otherwise, it is impossible to imagine him ever calling an Australian prime minister his boss", wrote columnist Malcolm Knox in the Sydney Morning Herald.
My concern here isn't that Albanese debased himself by kowtowing so blatantly to Modi, though that is bad enough, but rather that he was complicit in supporting an obviously Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) event.
It's not just that Modi's party is socially conservative, economically neoliberal, stridently nationalist political movement, as we have feted leaders from other countries that are equally conservative.
The problem is that Modi's government persecutes India's ethnic minorities, and it imprisons human rights activists.
There are also the problems of the likely jailing of the leader of its largest opposition party, its global leadership in internet shutdowns and its targeted political censorship, amid a long list of anti-democratic activities listed by Human Rights Watch and other organisations - not to mention its neutrality on Putin's war in Ukraine.
The imagery of the event was an eye-opener that added insult to injury. The two leaders entered and, to euphoric roars, raised their hands together like political running mates. Albanese introduced Modi, using the Springsteen comparison, like an MC performing the curtain-raiser for the main event.
Modi delivered most of his speech in Hindi, driving home what was already obvious: this was a political event for an Indian audience.
Within a year, Modi will be standing for re-election. Our PM had walked straight into it. Unfortunately, he was loving it.
The imbalance was plain - the event was as surreal as Albanese going to Mumbai in an election year and holding an ALP rally.
Following protocol, Australia's disposition was traditionally bipartisan. At the rally, one row back from Albanese was Peter Dutton. Albanese's discussions with Modi aimed at improving trade and migration agreements while steering clear of the faux pas of questioning the BJP party's record on human rights or India's implicit support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Australia's ever-so eager-to-please behaviour highlighted the asymmetry of the relationship. Australia was not setting the terms. Modi, meanwhile, was unafraid to make suggestions on internal Australian affairs, gaining Albanese's consent to take "strict actions" against anyone attacking Hindu temples in Australia. This referred to separatist and anti-Modi graffiti written on temples in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this year. Yet we have condemned these attacks. Nonetheless The Times of India reported Modi urging Albanese to make "the safety of the Indian community a special priority for him".
Modi's message was for domestic Indian consumption, emphasising Modi's ability to have Albanese - who does not run state police and had never shown any sign of tolerance of these acts - say what Modi wants him to say.
It was hard not to stand back and appreciate the contrast. On the one hand, Australia is silent on India's human rights failings as listed above yet on the other hand, "The Boss" can raise the graffiti-ing of temples and receive warm reassurances we will do better. Questioned the next morning Albanese said there were "1.4 billion reasons" for Australia to strengthen ties with India. Though to a degree he may be right, at a politicised event, his actions took sides against the 63 per cent of Indian voters who did not support Modi in the 2019 elections.
By being used, while trying so hard to be non-partisan, Albanese unwittingly puts hundreds of millions of anti-Modi Indians offside. India is now the world's biggest country by population, and in a generation it will be an economic superpower, possibly eclipsing China. It is not merely Australia's useful ally in an alliance to counterbalance China's influence.
India is fast becoming the main player in our region. It knows this, hence "The Boss" setting the rules and the embarrassingly obsequious host blatantly giving him everything he wants. Such, apparently and very regrettably, is the way of contemporary geopolitics.