Singapore's former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who personally knew many Indian leaders, wanted India to take a leadership role in South East Asia.

Lee, who died this week at the age of 91, personally knew many Indian leaders and most of its prime ministers, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, The Straits Times reported, reflecting on his relations with India.

During one of his meeting with Lee, Dr Singh had sought his advice on how to handle the Chinese leadership, the report said.

As prime minister of independent Singapore, Lee visited India six times, during one of which he delivered Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture in New Delhi. He first visited India in 1959 for a conference of the International Commission of Jurists.

In later years, he had become somewhat of a mentor to various leaders and hosted Rahul Gandhi, the grandson of Nehru, for a week in Singapore several years ago.

"Lee Kuan Yew was candid about India in his own characteristic way, and hoped we could rise to our real potential," the daily quoted Tarun Vijay, ruling BJP's Member of Parliament, as saying.