Indian journalists are being given free five-star accommodation, tours of Melbourne and concert tickets at the taxpayers' expense to improve Australia's image on the subcontinent.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has spent $250,000 on the luxurious trips for the journalists to combat the damage done by allegations of racism after multiple attacks on Indian students in Sydney and Melbourne, the Herald Sun reported.
Included in each $10,000-per-person trip is accommodation at Melbourne's Sofitel or Windsor hotels, tours of the MCG and tickets to see shows featuring Indian pop star AR Rahman, who wrote the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire.
But Federation of Indian Students of Australia secretary Gautam Gupta said the journalist visits are merely "marketing junkets paid for by the taxpayer".
"They are never taken to the colleges which collapse and they are never taken to the victims of assault," he said.
Australia and Melbourne in particular have been branded as racist in the Indian media after a spate of alleged race-related attacks.
The diplomacy budget for Australia's High Commission in New Delhi has also been doubled to deal with the recent fallout.
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