On a visit to India, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has caused a new wave of criticism in India by declining to apologise to Indian students subjected to criminal attacks in Australia. But Mr Rudd says his Government accepts responsibility for ensuring all foreign guests are safe and welcome.

Mr Rudd has been keen to settle controversy in India over the violent attacks on students and the abrupt closure of several training colleges catering to students from the subcontinent. The sensitive issue was raised during a bilateral meeting last night between Mr Rudd and his Indian counterpart, Dr Manmohan Singh. Cable television coverage in India during Mr Rudd's visit has been aggressive and negative; suggesting the Mr Rudd's concessions on the issue - saying he was “disgusted” by the attacks - had come very late.

Responsibility

In a further bout of late-night plain speaking, Mr Rudd said he could not rule out future attacks on foreign students. “I cannot provide any iron-clad guarantee that there won't be such incidents in the future. That's not being responsible. That is not being honest.”