The Coalition government gives its first public briefing for Operation Sovereign Borders in the wake of a sunken asylum seeker vessel off Java last week.

A SENIOR official at the Indian High Commission in Canberra has reacted angrily to claims by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and Air Marshal Mark Binskin that 18 boat people who arrived last week were from India.

High Commission first secretary Mukesh Kumar appeared deeply offended by claims

that the boat people, currently being interviewed in a Darwin detention centre, were from India and would be quickly sent home.

Mr Kumar demanded to know what evidence there was for claiming they were Indian.

BALI NINE RAISED IN JAKARTA TALKS

News Corp Australia read Mr Kumar comments made by Mr Morrison on Monday, during his weekly press briefing on border security, in which he said: "A first group of Indian nationals is currently being interviewed by their own consular officers in Darwin, and they will be removed directly back to India."

Air Marshall Binskin went on to say that three boats had arrived in the past week, and among them "18 people were transferred to Australian immigration authorities in Darwin and this was the boat with the Indian nationals on board that the minister just referred to".

'NO SYMPATHY' FOR BOAT PEOPLE

Mr Kumar appeared angered by Mr Morrison's claims.

"This is the statement of your ministry," he said. "This is not our statement. Your government has forwarded these comments. Your government is making these claims.

"That is a mistake. That is his words."

Mr Kumar said there had not been no confirmation from the Indian High Commission that the asylum-seekers were Indian.

"We have to verify, but how do we know?" he asked. "We are doing this, but we cannot verify. This is not simple. A lot of information is needed."

He confirmed Indian consular officials were interviewing the asylum-seekers, but said Mr Morrison was in no position to make premature claims before their nationalities were confirmed.

Indians have never been known to take their places on boats, but last year represented the largest source country in Australia's regular migration program, taking 21.1 per cent of places, or 40,051 people.