Australia assures India about students’ safety (Lead)
August 11th, 2009 - 11:20 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) Australia has assured India during External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna’s recent visit that it has taken concrete steps for the increased safety of Indian students.
Krishna had gone to Australia on a four-day visit last week, during which he met Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, and attended the Pacific Island Forum.
In a statement issued after his return, Krishna said he conveyed India’s “deep concerns about the safety and security of our students in Australia and impressed that measures need to be put in place to address their legitimate grievances so that our students get a good quality educational experience”.
He added that he was sure that “Australian authorities are working” on this matter.
There are about 97,000 Indian students studying in different educational institutions in Australia.
According to external affairs ministry official spokesperson Vishnu Prakash, Australia has taken a series of steps, which include increased patrolling, mobile surveillance units and close circuit television within institution premises.
Besides, Australia has also agreed to a mechanism to audit private educational institutions.
India is “broadly satisfied” with the “earnestness” of Australian authorities to tackle its concerns over the safety of Indian students, according to the spokesperson.
Krishna added in his statement that India attached importance to its relations with Australia and was “committed to further strengthening and expanding our relations to cover virtually every area of interaction”.
“Both sides feel that significant further scope exists, for expanding our trade as well as cooperation in areas such as science and technology, information and communication technology, energy, education, tourism and agro-industry,” he said.
Saying that India and Australia are looking to take their relations to a “strategic partnership”, Krishna said they were “looking at the possibility of discussing a Free Trade Agreement which would further boost our ties”.
Krishna said that India was looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister Rudd and Foreign Minister Smith later this year.
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