Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is on his maiden two-day state visit to India since assuming power in November 2007. Rudd, even before he came to power, considered India as a major country in Australia’s foreign policy calculus, believing that Australia-India ties are not just about curry, the Commonwealth and a common language. He emphasised the need for an exclusive India desk within the department of foreign affairs and trade and argued for establishing regular prime ministerial visits to “inject greater political ballast into this relationship”. Now he needs to deliver.

After the Australia, India, the US and Japan quadrilateral initiative failed to reach anywhere largely due to the “China factor”, Kevin Rudd recognises the importance of this visit for Australia’s own standing and role in Asia. Any strategic initiative in Asia will be driven by the progress Australia makes at the bilateral level, especially with India. But the immediate challenges to the relationship are primarily that public opinion in India has turned adverse, especially in the wake of attacks on Indian students. In this context Kevin Rudd’s public diplomacy skills will be tested; after all, should public perceptions in India continue to plummet the envisaged India-Australia strategic partnership will reach nowhere. There is a case that although both sides do have common interests with regards to regional security in the Indian Ocean region, climate change, terrorism, stability in Afghanistan and nuclear proliferation, in the interim they cannot afford to overlook the students’ issue.

Although the number of attacks have gone down in recent months due to the initiatives taken by the Australian government and the Indian High Commission to address the security issues, these initiatives do not provide any long-term remedy for a complex and chronic problem plaguing Australia’s $15 billion international education industry.

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