‘I am a British subject’: Indians in Australia claiming their rights, 1880–1940

Abstract

In researching little-known aspects of Australian political history, this article explores the ways in which Indians living in Australia during the period of immigration restriction used their status as British subjects to argue for greater rights in relation to the colonial, state and Australian federal governments. Australian Indians were politically informed and active, sharing a common consciousness of their rights. Extending earlier work on resident Indian protests against the Immigration Restriction Act, the article demonstrates their engagement with a transnational movement of resistance against discriminatory racial legislation. In their campaigns they enlisted the assistance of the Indian National Congress and other bodies outside Australia.