Concern over attack on Indian students in Australia
New Delhi, 2009 May 30, IRNA
India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh conveyed the government's concern over the attack on its students to his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd.
 The prime minister raised the issue of attacks on Indian students in Australia in a telephone conversation, when Rudd called Dr. Singh to convey his congratulations on being sworn in to a second term in office.
Besides seeking security for its nationals, Indian prime minister pointed out that a sense of insecurity among foreign students would hit Australia's sunrise education industry.
In response, Prime Minister Rudd said that the overwhelming majority of Indian students were safe and that he took the issue of security of all foreign students in Australia very seriously.
He said that he was appalled by the attacks and that the concerned authorities would work to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, India's External Affairs office on Friday 'called in' Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy and told him about the government's 'continuing concern' about the welfare of Indian students, concentrated in New South Wales and Victoria.
Australia has emerged as a magnet for students from East and South Asia.
With about four 400,000 students locating to Australia every year, education has become the country's third largest export earner. Of these nearly 100,000 are from India alone.
India recognizes Australia is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian students. At the same time, it is planning to educate its students about the precautionary measures to be taken 'including dos and don'ts'.
On Thursday May 28, an Indian student, Rajesh Kumar (25) suffered up to 30 percent burns after a suspected petrol bomb was hurled at him in his home in Sydney.
Another student Baljinder Singh, stabbed by two attackers with a screwdriver early this week.
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