53 percent believe that India is one of the closest international partner of the US.
Indians are more optimistic about the role of US in the Indo-Pacific than any of its allies in the region according to a new survey done by Asian Research Network, the Indian chapter of Washington-based Brookings Institution.
According to the survey, India has more positive views about the US when compared to China, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Indonesia.
The survey says that 52 percent of Indians think that the US intervention is bringing in positive results in the Indo-Pacific region and that their role is doing “more good” than harm.
On the other hand, only 18-36 percent people from Australia, Japan, and South Korea had positive thoughts about the US.
The report also said that about 52 percent of Indians are of the view that the US has gained its influence in the region in the span of last 10 years.
On the contrary to these figures, only 32 percent of Indians who participated in the survey showed interest in studying in the US. This contrast is looked upon as the immediate repercussion of latest attacks on Indians in the US and also the uncertainty over the immigration policy of the Trump administration.
The report has been released just days before the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US where he will meet the newly elected president for the first time.
The survey says only 19-32 percent of people in Australia, South Korea, and Japan felt that the US has been able to increase their influence in the region in the last one decade.
About 53 percent Indians voted in favor of US expanding its military presence in Asia and 61percent were of the opinion that the next few years will be the best for the US. More importantly, 71 percent of Indians expressed their strong conviction that the US-Pacific relations will burgeon under the Trump administration.
When it comes to matters between India and the US, 65 percent of Indians who participated in the survey said that the US has a very positive impact on India and 70 percent of the Indians were supportive of trade with the US.
More than 71 percent of the Indians were supportive of the US investment in infrastructure, while 78 percent believed that the US and India have already forged a strong military alliance.
Interestingly, 37 percent of Indians had the notion that the US is the primary rule setter and 53 percent believe that India is one of the closest international partner of the US and China its biggest challenge.
The respondents of the survey also felt that “Pakistan remains a great preoccupation and concern for India” with 43 percent believing that India is most likely to next use force overseas in the context of a limited conflict with Pakistan, while 48 percent think that serious military conflict between India and Pakistan is extremely or very likely.
The survey concludes saying that Indian respondents seemed more familiar with United States’ politics, when compared to other allies, but showed a poor understanding of other regional arrangements and institutions.