For the primary time in Pew’s monitoring, extra People view India unfavourably than favourably, with the nation’s optimistic score falling six proportion factors since 2023
American views of India have reached one in every of their lowest factors in almost twenty years, with extra US adults now holding an unfavourable opinion of the nation than a beneficial one, in response to the newest findings from the Pew Analysis Heart.
Pew mentioned 45 per cent of People have a favourable view of India, whereas 50 per cent have an unfavourable view. The analysis organisation famous that these figures are among the many lowest recorded because it started asking People about their views of India in 2008.
The findings come from Pew’s Spring 2026 International Attitudes Survey, which surveyed 42,092 adults throughout 36 international locations.
Beneficial views steadily decline
The newest figures level to a continued decline in optimistic sentiment in the direction of India amongst People.
In 2023, 51 per cent of US adults mentioned they considered India favourably. That determine fell to 49 per cent in 2025 earlier than dropping one other 4 proportion factors this yr.
This yr marks the primary time in Pew’s monitoring that unfavourable views of India have overtaken beneficial views amongst People.
Pew highlighted the shift in a submit on X, saying, “these rankings are a number of the lowest since 2008, after we started asking this query”.
Extra from IndiaPolitical and age variations
The survey additionally discovered clear variations in how People from totally different political and age teams view India.
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents usually tend to have a beneficial opinion of India than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Round 50 per cent of Democrats expressed a optimistic view, in contrast with 42 per cent of Republicans.
The hole is wider when respondents are divided by ideology. 54 per cent of liberals mentioned they considered India favourably, in contrast with 40 per cent of conservatives.
Age additionally seems to play a job. People aged 65 and above had been essentially the most optimistic, with 50 per cent expressing a beneficial opinion of India. Amongst adults aged 18 to 29, solely 42 per cent held a beneficial view.
India stays broadly considered positively worldwide
Regardless of the decline within the US, India continues to have a barely optimistic picture globally.
Throughout the 36 international locations surveyed, a median of 45 per cent of respondents mentioned they’d a beneficial view of India, in contrast with 41 per cent who expressed an unfavourable opinion.
India obtained significantly robust optimistic rankings in a number of international locations. Sri Lanka recorded the best beneficial score at 79 per cent, adopted by Kenya at 71 per cent. The UK additionally recorded 71 per cent, whereas Germany registered a relatively optimistic view.
On the similar time, the US is amongst a number of international locations the place beneficial views of India have declined. South Korea, Turkey and Bangladesh have additionally recorded current drops in optimistic sentiment.
How People view India’s world affect
The survey additionally requested People how they understand India’s altering position in world affairs.
A majority, 54 per cent, mentioned India’s affect has remained roughly unchanged in recent times. In the meantime, 30 per cent mentioned India’s affect has grown stronger.
The findings recommend that whereas India continues to keep up a broadly optimistic picture throughout a lot of the world, its standing among the many American public has weakened considerably in recent times.
