From Pakistan to US: 36-nation survey reveals how world views India

The Pew survey, which was conducted between February and May this year, revealed that people in 36 countries view India more positively than negatively. While Pakistan's view is a foregone conclusion, opinion about India is split in the US.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other NDA leaders wave the tricolour during a meetingHow does the world see India? Ahead of Independence Day, a new survey by the Pew Research Centre of 36 countries offers a sharply contrasting picture. While India is loved by Sri Lanka the most, there are no surprises in guessing who is at the other extreme - Pakistan. In the United States, meanwhile, opinion about India is almost evenly split.Overall, the survey, which was conducted between February and May this year and included over 42,000 people, revealed that people in 36 countries view India more positively than negatively. Across these countries, a median of 45% had a favourable view of India, as against 41% who view it unfavourably.WHAT SURVEY REVEALS ON INDIA'S GLOBAL IMAGE?The survey revealed that Sri Lanka, at 79%, had the most favourable perception of India among all the countries surveyed. Around 63% of the Sri Lankan respondents also identified India as the country's key ally. Only 11% view India unfavourably.It is a significant leg-up from 2024, when 65% of the Sri Lankans surveyed had a positive view. The favourable view of India comes against the backdrop of a reset in Delhi-Colombo ties. Following the 2022 unrest in Sri Lanka due to an economic crisis, India has helped rebuild the island nation through credit lines and financial aid exceeding USD 7.5 billion. India also commands a favourable perception in Kenya (71%), the UK (71%), Israel (60%), Germany (63%), Italy (56%) and Sweden (55%).INDIA'S NEIGHBOURHOOD STORYThe picture is more mixed in India's neighbourhood, where several countries like Nepal and Bangladesh have been through turbulent periods and uprisings.In Bangladesh, 42% have a favourable view of India, as against 51% who have an unfavourable perception. Ties between the neighbours have been turbulent of late over India giving shelter to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina was forced to flee Bangladesh in 2024 amid a violent student-led uprising that left over 500 dead.In Malaysia, which saw an 'India Out' campaign in 2024, around 58% have an unfavourable view of India.However, India gets a relatively positive assessment in several other Asian countries. Around 55% of Japanese, 51% of Singaporeans, and 50% of Indonesians view India favourably. India also enjoys strong ratings in the Philippines (49%) and in Thailand (55%).Expectedly, Pakistan stands out as an overwhelming outlier. According to the Pew survey, 91% of those surveyed in Pakistan have an unfavourable view of India. Interestingly, 7% have a favourable opinion. I said interesting because Pakistan has long been known for suppressing dissent in its hybrid civilian-military setup.The result, however, is hardly surprising given the long-running tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Ties reached their lowest ebb following the May 2025 hostilities and the diplomatic spat over India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.India launched Operation Sindoor last year, destroying terror camps and striking Pakistani air bases in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.After Pakistan, ratings are the lowest in Turkey (15% favourable) and in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (18%). In Australia, which recently saw anti-immigrant protests, around 55% have an unfavourable view of India. Ties between India and the US have been rocky over tariffs and the trade deal HOW DOES THE US VIEW INDIA?The survey reveals that the Americans are divided on India.Half of those surveyed in the US said they have an unfavourable view of India, while 45% made a positive assessment. In its report, Pew noted that the ratings are some of the lowest since 2008.In fact, data show that the share of Americans with a favourable view has fallen from 51% in 2023 to 45% in 2026.However, there is also a partisan divide on how Americans view India. Around 50% of Democrats have a favourable view of India, compared with 42% of Republicans - Donald Trump's party.Pew also asked Americans about India's influence in the world. While 30% said it was getting stronger, over half of the respondents (54%) said its influence in recent years has remained the same. Another 13% said India's influence was on the wane.Under Trump, ties between India and the US have been chequered over tariffs and an impending trade deal. Trump's warming up to Pakistan, which has left no stone unturned in massaging his ego, has also led to uneasiness in ties.Overall, the survey reflects a clear regional divide. India enjoys particularly strong ratings in parts of Asia and Africa, while opinions are more mixed in Europe and Latin America. In the US, the opinion is split.- EndsPublished By: Abhishek DePublished On: Aug 14, 2026 12:54 IST