In another shocking attack on Indian diplomatic establishments overseas, the Indian Consulate in Melbourne, Australia, was vandalized with graffiti on April 10 at dawn. The vandalism took place around 1 am at the honorary Consulate of India at 344 St Kilda Road, a report by News18, quoting officials, said.
The Indian High Commission in Canberra has formally brought the issue to the notice of Australian authorities and is doing everything possible to secure the safety of Indian diplomatic staff and properties throughout the country.
“The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the country,” the High Commission stated in an X post.
The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the…
— India in Australia (@HCICanberra) April 11, 2025
Police Launch Investigation into Graffiti Attack
Local police authorities have opened an inquiry into the event. A police spokesperson told News18 that the graffiti was found overnight between April 9 and April 10.
“Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 April. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
Though the officials in the Indian Consulate have not made any official announcement yet, sources informed that the issue has been escalated to high-ranking authorities in Victoria and also at the Indian High Commission in Canberra.
Pattern of Anti-India Incidents in Australia
This is not a one-off incident. Australia has seen a string of anti-India incidents over the past few years. In October 2023, two Hindu temples in Canberra were vandalized and burglarized by masked men. Previously in the year, Khalistani flags had been tied to the Indian Consulate in Brisbane soon after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had visited.
In yet another ominous act, graffiti reading “Declare Modi Terrorist” was discovered on walls of Sydney’s BAPS Swaminarayan Temple. Khalistani groups were also said to have issued threats to Melbourne’s Kali Mata Mandir, threatening a religious event that included Hindu devotional singer Kanhiya Mittal.
Moreover, the recent act of vandalism in Melbourne further supports mounting concerns regarding the security of Indian communities and missions in Australia
