NEW DELHI: Almost 72 per cent Indians believe that border disputes with China could lead to a military conflict, according to a new survey. While a majority of Indians (62 per cent) see Pakistan as a big threat, almost an equal number list both China (30%) and al-Qaida (28%) as threats to India.

A new survey by Pew Research Center of 44 countries about their attitudes to each other and balance of power also finds that almost half of Indians consider the US to be their greatest ally, followed by Russia (29%) and surprisingly, Japan (26%). For all who think the US is a declining power, clearly that’s not the way young Indians see the present superpower -among the 18-29 age group, nearly 60 per cent Indians have a high approval rating of the US, as against 47 per cent among those above 50 years. This is repeated across Asia - 89 per cent young Vietnamese approve of the US as against 64 per cent of the older generation. In fact, the number of Indians who feel China will replace the US as a superpower is matched by those who believe exactly the opposite.

India generally enjoys a favourable opinion, except in Pakistan. About 70 per cent of Bangladeshis polled approve of India, as compared to 30 per cent Chinese and 13 per cent Pakistanis. Other countries with favourable approval rating for India are Japan (63%), Vietnam (57%) and the US (55%).

But in the past five years, world opinion of India plummeted sharply. Chinese negative views on India rose from 43% to 65%, in Pakistan from 50 to 71% and in the US from 14% to 30%.

The survey says China is listed as the greatest threat in three countries that have major territorial grievances with Beijing: Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. In contrast, Pakistanis, Chinese and Malaysians name the US as the biggest threat to their country. While China’s increasing power generates concerns among some in Asia and around the globe, its economic growth also presents opportunities for many.

Across the nations surveyed, an average of 53% say that China’s growing economy is a good thing for their own country; just 27% describe this as a bad thing. Almost 46% of Indians believe China’s growing economy is good for India. That does not mean that Indians have abiding faith in Xi Jinping. A quarter of Indians say they don’t think he will do the right thing in world affairs.

Pakistanis are strongly anti-American with just 14% expressing a favourable assessment of the US while 59% are unfavourable. The Middle East is the sole region where anti-Americanism is both deep and widespread. Eighty-five per cent of Egyptians and Jordanians and 73% of Turks voice a negative opinion of the United States. Only 10% of Egyptians, 12% of Jordanians and 19% of Turks have a favourable view.

