sentences:  The laws made it impossible for Sikhs to enter the country unless they were merchants or students, who themselves were only allowed in for short periods of time; it also made it impossible for Sikhs who already lived in the country from returning to the motherland, as they would be barred re-entry.Historians place the number of Indians in Australia at federation in 1901 somewhere between 4700 and 7600.According to the 1911 census, there was only 3698 'Indians' (mostly Sikh) signifying a large decrease, with the trend continuing, with only approximately 2200 'Indians' in the country in 1921.