The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding the interests and welfare of its diaspora, particularly in the wake of the recent anti-immigrant protests across multiple cities in Australia. At the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the matter directly, noting that demonstrations held on August 31 had raised considerable anxiety within Indian communities.

He underlined that India’s diplomatic establishments in Australia—including the High Commission and Consulate Generals—had been in active and sustained touch with Australian officials and community leaders both before and after the rallies to ensure preparedness and responsiveness.

According to Jaiswal, the concerns of the Indian diaspora had been formally conveyed to Canberra ahead of the protests, with New Delhi insisting on adequate protection and reassurance for those potentially affected.

Jaiswal further revealed that the Australian government had sent an official response acknowledging the sensitivities raised by the protests. Canberra recognised that such demonstrations could be deeply unsettling for Australia’s diverse communities, including Indians, and reassured New Delhi that Australia remained firmly committed to its multicultural identity.

Senior Australian leaders, spanning both government and opposition benches, issued public statements affirming the value of diversity and the indispensable contributions of the Indian-Australian community to the nation’s development story.

These assurances, Jaiswal stressed, carried significant weight, not only from the ruling coalition but also from opposition leaders, demonstrating cross-party recognition of India’s role in Australia’s economic and socio-cultural fabric.

India’s position, expressed unequivocally by the MEA, rested on the conviction that diversity constitutes a source of strength, not division. Jaiswal emphasised that the relationship between India and Australia is anchored in a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in which people-to-people ties serve as both a linchpin and a force-multiplier.

The welfare and well-being of overseas Indians is thus not only a moral imperative but also a strategic priority for the Government of India. He assured that New Delhi would remain in close liaison with Australian authorities and diaspora organisations to monitor the situation closely and ensure that adequate safety and inclusivity mechanisms are upheld.

The protests themselves, described by The New York Times and covered widely in Australian media, drew tens of thousands of participants across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and other cities. In Sydney alone, an estimated 15,000 people convened as part of the “March for Australia” movement, chanting hardline slogans that explicitly targeted immigrant groups. Among the most provocative rallying cries were demands to “send them back” and accusations of a so-called “invasion.”

Multiple reports pointed out the visible and troubling presence of Neo-Nazi groups among the demonstrators—a factor that stoked concerns among political leaders and civil rights advocates about the potential main streaming of extremist ideologies in the Australian discourse. The government and opposition unified in condemning the protests, labelling them divisive, racist, and wholly inconsistent with the national ethos.

For India, the events underscored both the vulnerabilities and the prominence of its diaspora in Australia. With over 7,50,000 Indian-origin residents and students forming one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the country, their integration and recognition are critical to sustaining trust in bilateral relations.

The MEA’s measured yet firm response demonstrated India’s resolve to not only shield its citizens overseas from discrimination and antagonism but also to reinforce the intrinsic value of multiculturalism as a shared ideal with Australia.

In framing the protests as isolated elements of divisiveness rather than representative of mainstream Australian sentiment, New Delhi sought to highlight common ground while firmly pressing its expectation of vigilance and inclusivity from Canberra.

Ultimately, the episode has brought into sharper focus the resilience of India-Australia ties in the face of social tensions. For both nations, people-to-people ties remain the foundation of broader cooperation in trade, education, defence, and strategic security.

By proactively engaging Australia on the welfare of Indians abroad, New Delhi reaffirmed its responsibility to overseas citizens and its recognition that diaspora relations serve as the connective tissue of modern diplomacy.

Against the backdrop of rising global debates on immigration, the reaffirmation of shared democratic values and pluralism between India and Australia stands as a stabilising anchor in their evolving partnership.