▁front ier ▁against ▁commun ism . ▁Later , ▁under ▁Robert ▁M enz ies , ▁Australia ▁supported ▁the ▁ad mission ▁of ▁India ▁as ▁a ▁Republic ▁to ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Nations . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁M enz ies ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Australian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁to ▁visit ▁India , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁with ▁the ▁Governor - General ▁Ch ak rav art i ▁Raj ag op al ach ari ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁J aw ah ar l al ▁Ne h ru . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Col om bo ▁Plan , ▁many ▁Indian ▁students ▁were ▁spons ored ▁to ▁come ▁and ▁study ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁E asing ▁of ▁restrictions ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁saw ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁non - Europe an ▁Indians ▁migr ating ▁to ▁Australia ▁especially ▁profession als . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 - 1 2 , ▁Indians ▁were ▁the ▁largest ▁source ▁of ▁permanent ▁migration ▁to ▁Australia . ▁Australia ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁second ▁most ▁popular ▁destination ▁for ▁Indian ▁university ▁students , ▁with ▁nearly ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Indians ▁on ▁student ▁vis a ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁After ▁independence , ▁Australia ▁has ▁maintained ▁relations ▁with ▁both ▁India ▁and ▁Pakistan , ▁with ▁some ▁concern ▁from ▁India ▁over ▁defence ▁sales ▁over ▁the ▁border ▁such ▁as ▁ 5 0 ▁Mira ge ▁f ighter ▁j ets ▁and ▁parts ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 .