Indians Sceptical Of China's Policy towards Asia, India: Poll

Indians have clear views about which countries they would prefer as security partners in the Indian Ocean.

The U.S. fares best, with 72 percent agreeing it can be a good partner for India in the Indian Ocean, the poll said.

Despite some frictions in India-China relations, a sizable 39 percent of Indians agreed that China can be a good partner for India in the Indian Ocean.

On issues like corruption, the poll found an overwhelming majority of 94 percent consider there to be a lot of corruption in the country, and a similar majority (92 percent) considers the level of corruption to have increased over the past five years.

Asked to agree or disagree with a range of statements about corruption, an overwhelming majority of Indians (96 percent) agreed corruption was holding India back, with 78 percent holding this view strongly.

Similar proportions agreed that reducing corruption should be a top priority for the Indian government, with 94 percent agreeing and 73 percent doing so strongly.

Only 74 percent Indians were optimistic about prospects for their economy while a small majority of 56 percent saw themselves as economically better off than five years ago.

Around 18 percent felt worse off and 27 percent did not think their economic situation has changed.

Most Indians saw major problems looming and shortages of energy, water and food, along with climate change, registered as the most important challenges, with 80-85 percent Indians rating these issues as 'big threats' to their country's security.

Other issues rated as big threats by large majorities of Indians include possible war with Pakistan (77 percent), home-grown terrorism (74 percent), foreign jihadist attacks (74 percent), possible war with China (73 percent) and a continuing Maoist insurgency (71 percent).

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