Loved in Sri Lanka, dissed in Pakistan: Survey reveals how the world sees India - Firstpost

Public opinion of India remains closely split across the world, with a median of 45 per cent of people in 36 countries expressing a favourable view of the country, while 41 per cent hold an unfavourable opinion, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. The survey was conducted between February and May 2026 and included more than 42,000 respondents. It found significant differences in how India is viewed across regions, with particularly sharp contrasts among its South Asian neighbours. Sharp divide among neighbours Sri Lanka recorded the most favourable opinion of India among all the countries surveyed. Around 79 per cent of Sri Lankan respondents said they had a positive view of India, while 63 per cent identified India as their country’s most important ally. Pakistan, meanwhile, recorded the lowest rating. Only 7 per cent of respondents there viewed India favourably, while around nine in 10 expressed an unfavourable opinion. In Bangladesh, 42 per cent of respondents had a favourable view of India, compared with 54 per cent who viewed the country negatively. Across 36 countries, a median of 45% have a favorable view of #India, while a median of 41% have an unfavorable view. Opinions diverge dramatically across India’s neighboring countries, from 79% favorable in #SriLanka to 7% favorable in #Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/uQuvmDxYok — Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) August 13, 2026 India receives positive ratings in Africa, Europe India also received strong ratings in several countries outside South Asia. Kenya and the UK were among the countries with the most favourable views, with around 70 per cent of respondents in each country expressing a positive opinion of India. Majorities in Germany, Israel, Italy, Sweden, Japan and Thailand also viewed India favourably. At the other end of the spectrum, Turkey recorded one of the lowest ratings outside South Asia, with just 15 per cent of respondents expressing a favourable view. The figure stood at 18 per cent in the Palestinian territories, covering the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Public opinion in several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, also leaned towards the unfavourable side. US views of India turn cooler The survey found that Americans have become more critical of India compared with some other Western countries. Half of US adults surveyed, or 50 per cent, said they had an unfavourable view of India, while 45 per cent expressed a favourable opinion. This puts American sentiment towards India closer to the more mixed views seen in Latin America than the generally more positive opinions recorded in several European countries. Views of PM Modi broadly mirror India’s image The Pew survey also examined confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of international affairs. Views of PM Modi broadly followed wider perceptions of India. Confidence in him was highest in Sri Lanka, where 70 per cent expressed confidence in his leadership. In Bangladesh, 42 per cent said they had confidence in PM Modi, while the figure fell to just 4 per cent in Pakistan. Overall, the findings show that India's global image remains mixed, with strong support in several countries but deep scepticism in others, particularly among some of its immediate neighbours.