Click to play videoNew Delhi: Two deadly attacks and several fiery statements later, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna fired the latest salvo at Australia in a private meeting with their High Commissioner in New Delhi for not doing enough to protect Indians like Nitin Garg and Ranjot Singh, both of whom were killed there this month.
"The kind of courses for which our students have been going are certainly not encouraging. So I would suggest Indian parents to be discreet and better informed," Krishna said.
Also joining the debate on Thursday was Education Minister Kapil Sibal.
"We do hope that the action taken by the Australian government will be consistent with the verbal assurances given to us," Sibal said.
The Minister's statements came in response to a barrage from Australian ministers, who accused Indian leaders of needlessly stoking hysteria, and attacking the Indian government's travel advisory to students and tourists not to take risks while in Australia.
Even as the heat from the war of words between New Delhi and Canberra is rising, another worry for the Australian government is that the number of Indians wanting to study in Australia seems to be declining.
Already applications from India have dropped 46 per cent in 2009 compared to the year before, which will mean 4,000 less Indians in 2010.
Investigations by local police into the murder of Garg too are not helping shore up confidence. So far, investigators are clueless.
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