Beijing: A recent survey has shown India is showing a stronger presence in ASEAN nations than even China.

The survey was conducted by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute of Singapore.

The respondents put their weight in favor of India, saying they would choose India to hedge against the uncertainties of the US-China strategic rivalry, reports The EurAsian Times.

India doubled its approval from 5.1 percent to 11.3 percent in 2023, taking the third spot out of six, followed by Australia, Britain, and South Korea.

This comes despite India’s neutrality over the Russia-Ukraine war. The reasons for this change are three-fold. India started the “Look East Policy” in the 1990s, later upgraded to the “Act East Policy", reports The EurAsian Times.

The engagement, primarily political and economic, acquired a strategic dimension. India and the countries of South Asia share many threats and challenges, especially in the areas of non-conventional security.

India and Southeast Asian nations have been strengthening their defense and security relationship both at bilateral and multilateral levels to address such threats.