Pew’s 36-country survey reveals sharp regional contrasts, with views shaped by geography & geopolitics. Some partners are warming to India, while others are turning more critical
What does the world really think of India? The answer depends heavily on where you ask. From 79 per cent favourable in Sri Lanka to just 7 per cent in Pakistan, Pew’s latest survey shows a global perception of India that is anything but uniform, with some countries warming to India even as others turn more critical.
The Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey, conducted among 42,092 people between February 9 and May 13, found that a median 45 per cent of respondents across 36 countries had a favourable view of India, while 41 per cent had an unfavourable opinion. Another 10 per cent either did not know or declined to answer.
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
The numbers reveal striking regional differences and some notable shifts from previous surveys.
Sri Lanka Loves India, Pakistan Doesn’t
India’s most favourable ratings come from its immediate neighbourhood, but with a dramatic divide. In Sri Lanka, 79 per cent of those surveyed have a favourable view of India, while just 11 per cent view it unfavourably. That is also a significant improvement from 2024, when 65 per cent had a positive view—a 14-point rise.
At the other extreme is Pakistan, where just 7 per cent have a favourable view of India and 91 per cent have an unfavourable one.
Bangladesh falls somewhere in between, but its numbers have deteriorated sharply. Just 42 per cent of Bangladeshis now view India favourably, compared with 51 per cent who have an unfavourable view. In 2024, 57 per cent had viewed India favourably, meaning the positive rating has fallen 15 percentage points.
The contrast is particularly striking because Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had much higher favourable ratings when Pew last surveyed them.
India Remains Popular In UK, Europe
The United Kingdom is among the countries with the most positive views of India.
71 per cent of Britons surveyed have a favourable opinion of India, compared with 24 per cent who view it unfavourably. The favourable share has risen 11 points since 2025, from 60 per cent to 71 per cent.
India also gets majority-favourable ratings in several major European countries:
• Germany: 63 per cent favourable, 29 per cent unfavourable
• Italy: 56 per cent favourable, 35 per cent unfavourable
• Sweden: 55 per cent favourable, 38 per cent unfavourable
• France: 50 per cent favourable, 34 per cent unfavourable
• Netherlands: 49 per cent favourable, 31 per cent unfavourable
Germany’s favourable rating has risen six points since 2025, while France’s has remained unchanged at 50 per cent. Compared with 2023, however, Germany has seen a much bigger increase; from 47 per cent favourable then to 63 per cent now.
Not every European country is positive. In Spain, 37 per cent have a favourable view compared with 41 per cent unfavourable. Poland is at 37 per cent favourable and 25 per cent unfavourable, but a large 38 per cent did not offer an opinion.
America: India’s Image Has Weakened
The United States presents a more complicated picture.
Only 45 per cent of Americans now have a favourable view of India, while 50 per cent have an unfavourable view. Pew says these are among the lowest ratings recorded since it began asking Americans about India in 2008.
The favourable share has fallen from 51 per cent in 2023 to 45 per cent in 2026, although the decline has not been uniform across demographic groups.
Among Americans aged 18-29, just 42 per cent view India favourably while 56 per cent view it unfavourably. Among those aged 65 and above, the numbers are reversed: 50 per cent favourable and 43 per cent unfavourable.
There is also a partisan 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. Pew also found an ideological divide: 54 per cent of American liberals view India positively, compared with 40 per cent of conservatives.
What Do Americans Think About India’s Global Influence?
The survey also asked Americans how they assess India’s influence in the world.
A majority, 54 per cent, said India’s global influence has remained about the same in recent years. However, 30 per cent believe India’s influence is getting stronger, while 13 per cent think it is becoming weaker.
So, while America’s overall view of India has become more negative, this does not necessarily translate into a perception that India’s global influence is declining.
Asia-Pacific: Mixed Picture
Outside South Asia, India’s image is also far from uniform.
India receives favourable ratings from:
• Japan: 55 per cent
• Thailand: 55 per cent
• Singapore: 51 per cent
• Indonesia: 50 per cent
• Philippines: 49 per cent
But in South Korea, only 44 per cent have a favourable view, compared with 47 per cent unfavourable. Australia is also more negative: 44 per cent favourable versus 55 per cent unfavourable. Malaysia records 41 per cent favourable and 58 per cent unfavourable. South Korea is notable for its longer-term shift. Its favourable rating has fallen from 59 per cent in 2023 to 44 per cent in 2026.
Africa: India Still Has Strong Support In Some Countries
India’s image remains particularly strong in parts of Africa.
In Kenya, 71 per cent have a favourable view of India, compared with 25 per cent unfavourable. Ghana is at 50 per cent favourable and 36 per cent unfavourable, while Nigeria records 47 per cent favourable and 39 per cent unfavourable.
But there are signs of a decline in some countries. Nigeria’s favourable rating has fallen 10 points since 2025, from 57 per cent to 47 per cent. South Africa has also seen an eight-point decline, from 46 per cent to 38 per cent.
Middle East: Israel Positive, Turkey Negative
India’s image also varies sharply across the Middle East. In Israel, 60 per cent have a favourable view of India, compared with 29 per cent unfavourable. But the picture is very different in Turkey, where just 15 per cent have a favourable view and 72 per cent have an unfavourable opinion. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, only 18 per cent view India favourably, while 56 per cent view it unfavourably.
There is also a political-ideological divide in Israel. While 46 per cent of Israelis on the ideological left view India favourably, that figure rises to 68 per cent among those on the right.
Latin America Leans Negative
India’s image is less favourable across the Latin American countries surveyed. Only 37 per cent in Brazil have a favourable view, compared with 41 per cent unfavourable. In Colombia, the split is 36 per cent favourable versus 41 per cent unfavourable. Mexico records 30 per cent favourable and 44 per cent unfavourable, while Peru is at 29 per cent favourable and 39 per cent unfavourable.
Chile and Argentina are even more negative: just 25 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively, have favourable views of India.
Pew notes that large shares in many European and Latin American countries do not offer an opinion. Overall, European views tend to lean more positive, while Latin American views lean more negative.
