Australia assures no cut in opportunities for genuine Indian students, MEA tells visa-worried applicants

Australia has assured India there will be no reduction in opportunities for genuine Indian students, even as concerns over visa delays and processing changes have been mounting among applicants.

The Ministry of External Affairs addressed the issue directly on Thursday during a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day official visit to Australia. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri acknowledged the anxiety among students but said every conversation with Australian leadership through the day had pointed in one direction.

"We are aware that there have been concerns amongst Indian students regarding some of the changes that have taken place in assessment frameworks and in terms of the delays that some of the visa applications are subjected to. But I can tell you that throughout the day, in all the discussions with all of the leaders from the Australian side, we heard nothing but appreciation and the laying out of a framework for taking this aspect of our people-to-people exchanges even further," Misri said.

He added that while Australian authorities had acknowledged the processes had become more demanding, they had been clear that this would not shut doors on legitimate applicants. "There was acknowledgement that maybe some of the processes have become a bit more onerous, but there was also assurance that this will not result in the reduction of opportunities for genuine students from India," he said.

Misri also moved to quash reports that Indian students could face restrictions on applying to Australian universities altogether. "I am also aware that in this context, there are some reports that people may be restricted from applying. I don't think there is any truth to those reports," he said.

On the broader picture, the Foreign Secretary said education remains central to the India-Australia relationship. "The cooperation on the student exchange front and in so far as opportunities for Indian students to come and study here in Australia are concerned, we are reasonably assured that those opportunities remain open; they remain fair, and Australian authorities continue to extend a welcome to these aspirants from India," Misri said.

University partnerships and research tie-ups

The visit also produced concrete outcomes on the education and research front. Australia's Flinders University received a Letter of Intent to set up a campus in Bengaluru. Victoria University was handed a Letter of Approval to establish and operate its campus in Gurugram.

On the research side, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Melbourne to promote joint research, covering areas such as drug target identification, trainee programmes and faculty exchanges.

The two countries also strengthened creative sector ties, with an MoU signed between Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata and Griffith Film School, providing a framework for joint academic activities, workshops, cinema projects and short-term training programmes.

(With inputs from agencies)