Two weeks after the end of the hiatus on flights from India to Australia, the repatriation of the 9,000-plus Australian citizens who wish to return home has resumed, albeit slowly. But the repercussions are immense: at least two Australian citizens died from Covid-19 in India in recent weeks, and Australia’s decision to prevent its own citizens from entering the country was aired worldwide. The country’s reputation as a nation built on just and fair principles has undoubtedly suffered. It did not go without notice that many of the Australian citizens affected were of Indian heritage, leading many to question whether there was a racial element involved. For Indian Australians, it revived uncomfortable feelings of being considered second- or third-class citizens.