US Opinion of India Divided as Pew Survey Reveals Sharp Global Variations
Americans are divided over India, with half expressing an unfavourable opinion of the country, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center (Pew), which found India’s global image varies sharply across the 36 countries surveyed. The survey, conducted between February 8 and May 13, 2026, found that 45 per cent of US adults have a favourable view of India, while 50 per cent have an unfavourable view. Pew said the ratings are among the lowest recorded since it began asking Americans about their views of India in 2008. The shift is significant because favourable opinion of India among Americans stood at 51 per cent in 2023, before falling to 43 per cent in 2024, recovering to 49 per cent in 2025 and then dropping to 45 per cent this year. The survey also found that views of India differ by age and political affiliation in the US. Among Americans aged 65 and older, 50 per cent view India favourably, compared with 42 per cent among those aged 18 to 29. Political affiliation produces another divide — 50 per cent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents have a favourable view of India, compared with 42 per cent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. The findings come as India has become an increasingly important player in global affairs, while Washington-New Delhi ties have also faced tensions over issues including trade and immigration. Pew separately found that 30 per cent of Americans believe India’s global influence is getting stronger, while 54 per cent say it has remained about the same and 13 per cent believe it has weakened. Across the 36 countries surveyed, a median of 45 per cent expressed a favourable view of India, compared with a median of 41 per cent who held an unfavourable view. Opinions vary dramatically across India’s neighbourhood. Sri Lanka has the most favourable view of India among India’s neighbours, with 79 per cent expressing a positive opinion. By contrast, only 7 per cent of Pakistanis have a favourable view of India. The United Kingdom also stands out, with 71 per cent of Britons expressing a favourable opinion. Kenya recorded the same figure. Germany was at 63 per cent, while Italy recorded 56 per cent, Sweden 55 per cent and Japan 55 per cent. Thailand stood at 55 per cent, while Canada recorded 51 per cent. India’s image was considerably weaker in some other countries. Only 15 per cent in Turkey had a favourable view of India, while the figure was 18 per cent in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In both places, majorities expressed an unfavourable opinion. One of the biggest changes was recorded in Bangladesh, where Pew last surveyed public opinion in 2024. The share of Bangladeshis with a favourable opinion of India fell 15 percentage points, from 57 per cent to 42 per cent. The Pew survey also found that the proportion of Bangladeshis who did not offer an opinion also dropped sharply, from 24 per cent to 7 per cent. The finding puts Bangladesh among the countries where India’s image has deteriorated most sharply since the previous survey. India’s image is also uneven across Asia. Japan and Thailand both recorded 55 per cent favourable ratings, while Singapore was at 51 per cent and Malaysia at 41 per cent. The Philippines recorded 49 per cent favourable, Indonesia 50 per cent and South Korea 44 per cent. In contrast, Sri Lanka’s rating rose sharply. The neighbouring countries, therefore, present a noticeably different picture, from 79% favourable in Sri Lanka to just 7% in Pakistan. The Pew survey also found ideological differences in views of India. In Israel, 68 per cent of people on the right had a favourable view of India, compared with 46 per cent on the left.
