The Indian youth is happy with the government’s handling of policies relating to China, Pakistan, QUAD, terrorism cyber security besides Covid 19, a survey undertaken by the Observer Research Foundation has revealed according to a Times of India report.

“The government’s decision to ban Chinese mobile apps received an 86 per cent endorsement, Balakot air-strike about 68 per cent, almost the same as the QUAD (64 per cent),” ToI said.

However, India’s decision to move exit the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has not found much support.  

Last year India decided to pull out of the mega trade deal citing that it would hurt the domestic manufacturers.

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The survey also showed that the respondents consider China to be the most distrusted country while the US is considered most trusted, followed by Australia, Russia and Japan.

Interestingly, the survey also highlighted that there is low awareness about the other regional blocks such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC), South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC), G20 and more recent Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO).

Following the Galwan Valley clash last year and the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, there have been rising anti-China sentiments.

Within days of the clash, India, concerned over privacy and security threats, banned 59 Chinese apps including the popular TikTok, WeChat, UC Browser and Weibo among others resulting in huge losses for the companies. India also decided to bar Chinese tech giants–  Huawei and ZTE to participate in the country’s 5G rollout.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave a clarion call for making India Atmanirbhar and boost Make In India.