New India wants respect

Fortunately, Australia has an excellent record on many policy issues of interest to India. This is well understood and appreciated by the Indian government. Sadly, it is largely unrecognised by the Indian media and Indian community in both Australia and India. We have a selling job to do. For example, Australia's ban on uranium exports to India receives a lot of coverage. But the courageous statesmanship shown by the Rudd government in supporting a resolution allowing other Nuclear Suppliers Group members to engage in nuclear trade with India is rarely mentioned. Similarly, the recent tightening of some aspects of the 457 visa regulations should not detract from the fact that we still have the world's most liberal temporary business entry regime.

Another image-building imperative is to make Indians aware that we excel at much more than sports alone. Our amazing record of 11 Nobel laureates, 10 recognised for achievements in science and medicine, should be trumpeted as clear evidence that we are a modern, sophisticated and technologically advanced nation, making Australia an excellent choice for study and collaborative research.

Rudd should also highlight the establishment of the Australia-India Institute, another 2020 Summit recommendation, as evidence of Australia's commitment to develop a deeper understanding of what is one of the world's most complex and diverse countries. He would do well to announce some complementary initiatives, such as fellowships to attract eminent scholars from India to the institute and appropriate funding to enable schools to teach Hindi in normal school hours, fixing a glaring gap in our education system.

Given the imminent Copenhagen Conference, the visit to India is an ideal opportunity for Rudd to promote his climate change agenda. This will provide a positive context for the inevitable discussion on uranium exports. Confirmation by India of its willingness to set emission targets, albeit on a non-binding basis, could encourage a review of ALP policy on this issue, especially as India has an impeccable record of abiding by the spirit of the Non-Proliferation Treaty even though its security imperatives prevent it from being a signatory.

Of course, there are many policy issues on which Australia and India will have legitimate differences. This is only to be expected between countries that have different histories, economies, societies and strategic challenges. Our friendship should be strong enough to allow us to work through our differences and, occasionally, agree to disagree.

Finally, it would be a good sign that India is moving towards treating Australia as significant partner, if our Prime Minister secures a reciprocal visit by Manmohan Singh. It's a sobering thought that the last Indian PM to visit our shores was Rajiv Gandhi in 1986.