Sydney: Indians abroad celebrated the country's Independence Day today (Aug 15, 2004) by hoisting the tricolour at diplomatic missions and holding cultural programmes.

In Australia, expatriate Indians gathered at the residence of the Indian Consul General in Sydney, M Ganpathi to celebrate the day.

At the chime of 9 a m local time, Ganapathi unfurled the tricolour in the garden of his suburban Killara residence and read out President A P J Abdul Kalam's address to the nation.

Independence Day is also being celebrated at the Sydney branch of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Bhavan Australia is staging 'World Culture Festival', a grand four-hour celebration of music, art and culture at the Sydney Town Hall this evening.

In Canberra, Indian High Commissioner Prabhat Prakash Shukla unfurled the national flag. Local Indians in New Castle, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Brisbane are also celebrating the day by showcasing India's cuisine and culture.