Melbourne, Jan 6 (ANI): Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has affirmed that Australia is a safe country for all international students after the Indian Government advised its citizens studying in Australia to take basic precautions against possible attacks.

Gillard said a new travel warning from the Indian Government in New Delhi is a matter for the Indian government.

“In big cities around the world we do see acts of violence from time to time; that happens in Melbourne, it happens in Mumbai, it happens in New York, it happens in London,” Gillard told the ABC.

“Any individual act of violence is obviously to be deeply regretted and our sympathies go to anyone who is harmed by an act of violence,” she said.

Gillard said Australia would continue to welcome Indian students despite the travel warning.

Australia’s acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean again called for calm, saying Australia is a safe place for foreign students, The Australian reported.

Responding to strong domestic anger over the recent death of Indian student Nitin Garg in Melbourne and repeated warnings from the community that the violence is racially motivated, India’s Ministry for External Affairs has cautioned Indian students not to travel alone at night. (ANI)