India expresses concern over recurrence of attacks on Indian students in Australia - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

India on Wednesday expressed concern over the recurrence of incidents of attacks on Indian students in Australia and stressed at the need to undertake more effective measures to prevent recurrence of such attacks. "Unfortunately the attacks have reoccurred in the last week, so obviously these attacks are a matter of concern for us...we are in regular touch with Australian authorities...it is important that measures are effective, we have to stay the course and we are constantly reviewing the situation, we are constantly looking at ways and means to ensure that such attack don't happen," said Vishnu Prakash, spokesman for Ministry of External Affairs in the capital. Vishnu Prakash, however, informed that Canberra has assured New Delhi that Australia will follow a policy of zero tolerance towards such incidents. He added that India would take this issue with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd when he visits the country. There have been over 30 attacks on Indians in Australia since May this year. Recently a group of locals attacked a 22-year-old Indian student in Melbourne. Vishnu Prakash also pointed out that co-operation between two countries would continue in variety of disciplines including information technology (IT), education and Defence. "We have a broad-based relationship with significant scope and potential for expansion in areas like economic and trade, science and technology, energy, IT, education, defence and so on...You are aware that Australia has been supportive of Indian candidature for permanent membership at the UN Security Council," Prakash said. Rudd's visit to India comes less than a month after Stephen Smith, Australian Foreign Minister's visit.