The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade admits the relationship between Australia and India has been damaged by the spate of attacks on Indian nationals in recent months.
"There has been a shift and that shift has been negative," Dennis Richardson told a Senate hearing on Thursday.
"There has been damage to our reputation and standing."
The Indian media has reacted strongly to the attacks with some raising suggestions of racism across the wider Australian community.
Mr Richardson said the department was trying to counter that by bringing Indian "opinion leaders" to Australia to gauge the atmosphere of the country.
Earlier this week Foreign Minister Stephen Smith used a cricketing metaphor to describe the government's new approach to the diplomatic relationship.
"I said we needed to treat the relationship like a Test match and work with diligence, dedication, application and perseverance day in and day out to extend the partnership," Mr Smith said.
There was further evidence the crisis in the relationship was being dealt with at the highest levels of government with the inquiry hearing Mr Richardson and National Security Adviser Duncan Lewis had met with Helen Silver from the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet.
But that was only once and meetings had since become telephone hook-ups, Mr Richardson said.
Queensland Liberal senator Russell Trood wanted more details about the reaction to the crimes, asking for the numbers of Indian people visiting or leaving Australia in the wake of the attacks.
But the department told him those numbers were not available.
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