In the tiny outback town of Tennant Creek, 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs, there's a small Indian community watching in horror as the COVID-19 crisis deepens in its home country.
Lack of testing, oxygen and treatment was adding fuel to an already dire situation.
Bangalore-born Siddhant Vashist has lived in the Barkly region for almost 11 years and made history as the Northern Territory's first Indian-origin councillor in 2017.
"I'm worried about them. I'm worried about the Indian diaspora here."
Mr Vashist was concerned that his parents have contracted COVID-19 and were awaiting test results.
"It was it was really tough to just simply get COVID testing done, and one in every third person in Delhi is COVID positive," he said.
Powerless in the outback
Mr Vashist said that he was speaking with his parents every two to three hours to ensure that their oxygen levels were ok.
"You do feel helpless. And it is tough, especially when the [Federal] Government announces that there will be no outgoing or incoming flights to India."
He was adamant that if the situation worsened for his parents he would want to leave Australia despite knowing the risks and also the difficulties in leaving the country.
Mr Vashist said he has been offering help to others.
"I've been supporting some people that are Australian citizens or Indians who have lost someone and they want to go back home.
"They've been just rejected at the airport or they've been turned back from the airport.
"If an Australian citizen by choice wants to leave the country — they should," he said.
Lack of oxygen
The reported shortages of oxygen in India have Mr Vashist very worried.
"I personally, I don't want to think about it when it comes to my family," he said.
Mr Vashist said that there were many in a similar or even worse situation.
"There are a lot of students here who might be feeling helpless, or might feel like they don't have anyone to talk to.
Mr Vashist is imploring politicians to do the same.
"Just reach out to the Indian community here," he said.
