Julian has a deep interest in India and its people and is the Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of India. He went to India on his honeymoon with his wife Joanna.
Julian values the contributions of the 700,000 strong Indian diaspora to Australian society, especially the significant Indian-Australian constituency in Berowra. He dabbles in trying to speak Hindi and is an occasional student at the IABBV Hindi School in his electorate.
Julian believes in the tremendous potential of the India-Australia relationship. As two major democracies in the Indo-Pacific region, with shared values, shared interests and a shared politico-legal tradition, it is important for Australia and India to work together to confront the geostrategic challenges our region faces.
In 2020, Australia and India elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and reaffirmed their shared outlook for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The CSP also recognised and accelerated cooperation in areas such as defence, maritime and cyber security, critical technologies, science and culture. In a promising sign, Australia and India have renewed negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement.
