The Australian government has officially acknowledged to India that the recent anti-immigration rallies, particularly targeting Indians, are a matter of concern for the country’s diverse communities.

This was disclosed by the Indian external affairs ministry on Friday when asked about the August 31 protests against immigrants across several cities in Australia.

“Before the protests took place, our high commission had conveyed to the Australian government the concerns shared with it by several sections of the Indian diaspora. In a formal response to our high commission, the government of Australia acknowledged that the protests may be concerning for Australia’s diverse communities.

“Senior leaders and politicians in Australia, belonging to the government and the Opposition, issued statements supporting the multicultural nature of the Australian society. The contribution of the Indian diaspora in Australia was also acknowledged and appreciated,” ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told the media.

According to him, the high commission and the consulates-general in Australia have remained closely engaged with the government of Australia and also with representatives of the Indian diaspora in this regard.

The Indian diaspora in Australia is over a million-strong. The Guardian has reported that migrants of Indian background were directly targeted in promotional materials on the March for Australia website before the anti-immigration protests that took place across the country on Sunday, echoing similar racist messaging in the UK. The paper said members of Australia’s Indian diaspora continued to report troubling accounts of an increase in prejudice towards those of South Asian heritage.

According to the BBC, the Australian government has said it stands against the rallies. Home affairs minister Tony Burke said: “There is no place in our country for people who seek to divide and undermine our social cohesion. We stand with modern Australia against these rallies — nothing could be less Australian.”

The minister for multicultural affairs, Anne Aly, was quoted as saying: “We stand with all Australians, no matter where they were born, against those who seek to divide us and who seek to intimidate migrant communities. We will not be intimidated. This brand of far-Right activism, grounded in racism and ethnocentrism, has no place in modern Australia.”

Dwelling further on the bilateral relationship, Jaiswal said: “India continues to firmly believe that diversity is strength. We value our comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia, which is further bolstered by strong people-to-people ties. The government is committed to the welfare and well-being of all Indians abroad.”