External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is visiting Melbourne, Australia for the Seventh Round of Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue from the 19th to the 21st of January, 2011. Press briefing by Vishnu Prakash, official spokesperson, ministry of external affairs, and Arun Goel, Joint Secretary (South)
Do you discern any change on the part of new Australian government vis-à-vis uranium sale to India? Will this issue be on the table?
Arun K. Goel: I think the Australian High Commissioner day before has already hinted at this question specifically. He has said that at present there is no change in the Australian government’s well-known position on supply of uranium to non-NPT signatory countries. But we have made our interest known all along to Australia that we do expect Australian government to revisit its stated position. In terms of our quest for energy resources, access to uranium supply remains a core issue for us. So, we are hopeful that in the near future they will be in a position to review their earlier standpoint.
Vishnu Prakash: I would just like to add that energy is one of the vital areas of cooperation. I did touch upon certain facets. I would like to recall that in 2008 Australia supported us in our quest for a civil nuclear energy arrangement at IAEA as well as at NSG. And as my colleague mentioned, we have already evinced interest and we are ready when our Australian friends are ready, specifically on the issue of furthering our understanding on civil nuclear cooperation.
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Question: As you know, the Australian government does have a uranium supply agreement with China. Does the Indian government feel that that is undue discrimination against India which has shown obvious restraint over the years in terms of its nuclear position?
Vishnu Prakash: I mentioned that India and Australia are strategic partners. We are pleased at the trajectory of our relations, the breadth and sweep of our relations. I did mention the numerous areas in which we are cooperating very well. We have already touched upon the vital area of energy cooperation and my colleague and I have endeavoured to share our views or our thinking, on the important area of further cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy.
Question: You said the number of Indian students going to Australia has dipped. What are the reasons behind that dip? And can you share some numbers as to how many students were going in 2008, in 2009 and now?
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Vishnu Prakash: I would be happy to do so. According to figures that I have for comparison purposes, in the year 2009 approximately 120,000 Indian students had enrolled in Australian educational institutions. But enrolment is one and actual commencements is another, as the Australians call it. According to the figures of the Australian Ministry of Education the actual commencements in 2009 were 67,974. In 2010, between January and November 2010 - we still are awaiting figures for December - the enrolments were 100,236, and the actual commencements were 42,447. So, approximately there has been a dip of about 30 per cent. The reason you are very well aware of. There have been issues pertaining to the Indian students. But we are very appreciative of a number of steps taken in close coordination with the Indian government by the government of Australia to overcome or tackle those constraints, and to further the safety and security of the Indian students which is certainly a matter of prime concern and interest for us.
Question: Talking about the Indian students’ issue that was obviously a very serious diplomatic issue between the two countries, how would you categorize the relationship now, twelve months on after the heat has essentially left that issue?
Vishnu Prakash: Very good, but let me have my colleague elaborate on that.
Arun K. Goel: Let me go back to the previous question. If I may add to what has already been said, currently there are around 400,000 persons of Indian descent in Australia. Indian community is Australia’s fourth biggest migrant community, and students are a significant proportion of that. As of last year there were approximately 110,000 Indian students and the number of Indian students has been growing rapidly, especially over the last four years. Much of this increase took place in the vocational education sector. If I could give some numbers, 2010 we see a drop from 2009 when there were 68,000 students who went to Australia. Last year it dipped to 42,000. One of the main reasons is not only because of the problems associated with the students issue but also the strength of Australian dollar. It has risen dramatically and today is almost one to one with the US dollar. So, the cost of education in Australia has also commensurately risen. The vocational education sector accounted for over two-thirds of the number of Indian students in 2009-10. Ever since this issue came up over the last two years, the fallout has been that the number of prospective students has been falling. Overall we can say that the drop is approximately of the level of 40 per cent of students going to Australia.
Coming to your specific question, yes, this issue was at the centre-stage over the last two years or so in our bilateral relations, but thanks to a series of measures which Australian government took, both at the Federal and the State level, the number of incidents reported came down drastically. They are far fewer though the problems are not totally over, and there are some lingering issues connected with students’ welfare which are under discussion between the two governments.
Vishnu Prakash: Let me add that, as I mentioned, we are very appreciative of the quality of response by Australia. India and Australia have worked in close concert to tackle this issue. And we have seen a series of steps being taken by Australia on whether it is more policing, whether it is more patrolling, whether it is audit of educational institutions, whether it is review of visa procedures, establishment of helpline, counselling, and so on. But it is work in progress. As my colleague said, we have seen a marked improvement in the situation and we are, as I said and I repeat that, we are very appreciative of the approach taken and the manner in which the Australian government have looked into this issue.
Question: As you have already said there are long negotiations and implementation of mutual understandings between Australia and India over the issue of conflicts among the students of Indian origin and Australians.
Vishnu Prakash: Conflicts! I never said anything about conflicts between…
Question: It is my word. What was your finding? Was it a racial conflict or was this just something that happens everywhere else in the country?
Vishnu Prakash: I mentioned in the very opening remarks of mine that India and Australia are fellow democracies, we are multicultural, multiethnic, vibrant and open societies, and both sides have the ability, desire and confidence to take up any issue that crops up in the relationship, and both sides, in close concert as friends would, have looked into the issue and already we have seen a marked improvement in the issue.
Question: Sir, I would just like to get some clarity on the status of FTA. You did say that there is a report by a Joint Study Group. Has that been accepted? If it has been, when are we likely to see the launch of it?
Vishnu Prakash: Very important question. The report of the Joint Study Group has been submitted to the Ministers, and the respective governments are now looking into their recommendations. Once the internal procedures are complete, a further view would be taken on the matter.
Question: Is the Indian Prime Minister likely to visit Australia this year?
Arun K. Goel: As has just been said, this year’s CHOGM Summit is scheduled to be held in Perth, Australia in October. And as a leading country of CHOGM, India participates in each Summit. So, it is on the cards that our Prime Minister would be visiting to attend the Summit.
Question: Sir, this relates to what action the MEA or the government is contemplating in the Anil Verma case, and if there is any clarification on the role of Rajesh Prasad, as has come out in the media, and if his wife is also accompanying him on his way back.
Vishnu Prakash: Let me say at the outset that the Ministry of External Affairs has taken a serious view in the matter. As I mentioned in my earlier remarks, the matter has been looked into actively and with all the seriousness that it deserves. The officer and members of the family have been transferred back to headquarters. Let me also say categorically that there is no question of condoning domestic violence which is totally unacceptable. Once the officer is back, the matter will be thoroughly investigated and acted upon appropriately. The laws of the land would take care of any acts that need to be taken care of, consequent to the inquiry.
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About the other matter that you mentioned, let me again clarify that the High Commission has the responsibility towards the welfare and wellbeing of the officers and members of the family. I have already mentioned that domestic violence is unacceptable and there is no question of condoning the domestic violence. At the same time, the High Commission has encouraged both sides to sort out any marital issues or differences between the two of them, which is the best way of going about it. But let me reiterate that we take a serious view of the matter that there is no question of condoning domestic violence and the matter will be investigated thoroughly.
