Pew's Research Shows Positive Sentiments Towards India Across 23 Countries

By IndraStra Global Editorial Team

Summarization of a Recent Study Conducted and Published by Pew Research Center
In a world marked by shifting geopolitical tides and evolving global leadership dynamics, India stands tall, or so it seems. A recent comprehensive study by the Pew Research Center has thrown light on how Indians perceive their nation's rising influence on the global stage, and the results are nothing short of intriguing.
According to the study, a staggering 68% of Indian adults believe that India's global influence has surged. This self-confidence, however, is in stark contrast to the rest of the world, where only a median of 28% of adults across 19 countries share this optimistic view. This perception isn't just about the nation; it's also deeply tied to the leadership. A resounding 79% of Indian adults express faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ability to do the right thing. This figure dwarfs the median confidence level of just 37% in 12 other nations.
This report arrives at a crucial juncture as India gears up to host the G20 Summit and paints a complex picture of the nation's global standing. India enjoys a generally favorable global image despite its internal challenges and international critiques. A median of 46% of adults in 23 countries hold positive views of India, while only 34% maintain unfavorable opinions. Remarkably, India receives its highest approval ratings in Israel, underscoring the nation's ability to forge global alliances.
The study, conducted between February 20 and May 22 this year, collected responses from 30,861 adults across 24 countries, including India. It also builds on earlier surveys conducted by Pew, providing a comprehensive view of changing global sentiments.
One significant revelation from the research is that while India remains broadly liked globally, Indians themselves harbor even more positive perceptions of their nation's influence and Prime Minister Modi. This divergence between domestic and international perspectives has substantial implications for India's foreign policy and diplomatic strategies.
Diving deeper into the data, it becomes evident that India's favorability ratings have experienced fluctuations, with a few exceptions like Nigeria and Kenya. The most significant declines are recorded in Europe, exemplified by France. In 2008, a substantial 70% of French adults expressed positive views of India. In 2023, this figure plummeted to 39%, marking a dramatic 31 percentage point drop over 15 years.

Global Perspectives on India

Among the Quad partners, India receives positive reviews from 51% of Americans, 55% of Japanese, and 52% of Australians. The African continent is marked by a favorable disposition towards India, with 64% of Kenyans and 60% of Nigerians viewing India in a positive light. However, South Africa stands as an exception in the African context, with only 28% expressing positive views. It's worth noting that despite a historic relationship, 51% of South Africans maintain a negative perception of India.
In Latin America, Mexico stands out as the sole nation where India enjoys a higher favorability rating than unfavorability. In Brazil and Argentina, the scales tip towards a negative perception of India among adults.
Europe offers a diverse palette of opinions regarding India. In the United Kingdom, 66% of adults view India positively, while 52% share this sentiment in Italy. On the other hand, the Netherlands, Spain, and Greece present a contrast, with more adults expressing unfavorable views of India than favorable ones. France finds itself divided, with 39% holding positive views and 39% expressing negative opinions about India.
Notably, Israel emerges as the country where India basks in the highest favorability rating. A striking 71% of Israeli adults surveyed express positive views about India, with only 20% harboring an unfavorable perspective.
Intriguingly, political affiliations play a role in shaping perceptions of India. While those favoring right-wing parties in Hungary, Australia, and Israel tend to hold more positive views of India, the United States presents an interesting twist. According to the Pew survey, liberals in the U.S. are 10 percentage points more likely than conservatives to have a favorable view of India.
The Pew Research study sounds a cautionary note for Indian policymakers by highlighting a dip in India's favorability ratings across various geographies. In 2016, 52% of Canadians held positive views about India, but that number has now dipped to 47%. Similarly, favorability has declined in Germany from 60% in 2008 to 47% today. Indonesia has witnessed a drop from 57% favorability in 2018 to 45% currently. Even in Japan, favorability ratings have slightly decreased from 58% to 55% between 2018 and 2023. South Korea follows suit, with a drop from 64% to 58%. In the United States, the figure has declined from 63% positive views about India in 2015 to 51% today.
However, it's not all gloom and doom. There are exceptions to this trend, such as Nigeria, where favorability towards India has increased from 45% in 2013 to 60% today, and Kenya, where India's favorability ratings have risen from 61% to 64% in a decade.

Modi on the Global Stage

When it comes to views on Prime Minister Modi's handling of world affairs, the survey reveals a mixed bag of opinions. In these 12 nations, a median of 40% of adults expressed skepticism about Modi's ability to "do the right thing regarding world affairs," while 37% believed in his capacity to make the right decisions.

In the United States, 37% of respondents indicated a lack of confidence in Prime Minister Modi, while 21% expressed faith in his leadership on the global stage. Interestingly, 40% of survey participants in America had not even heard of Modi, underscoring the varied levels of awareness about the Indian Prime Minister.

In Japan, 45% of respondents had faith in Modi's decision-making abilities regarding world affairs, whereas 37% held a contrary view. The results indicate a more favorable perception of Modi among the Japanese compared to the global median.

Australians and Israelis are evenly divided on their views of Modi. In both countries, 41% of respondents expressed confidence in the Indian Prime Minister, while 42% lacked confidence. This balance of opinion suggests a degree of ambivalence toward Modi's global role in these nations.

Standing out prominently in the survey results are Kenya and Nigeria. In Kenya, an impressive 60% of respondents voiced their confidence in Modi's ability to navigate global affairs. Nigeria also demonstrated significant support for Modi, with 47% expressing confidence in his leadership.

On the other side of the globe, Latin America presents a less favorable picture for Modi. In Mexico, 60% of respondents lacked confidence in the Indian Prime Minister's handling of world affairs. Brazil and Argentina followed suit, with 54% and 41% expressing doubts about Modi's global decision-making.

India's Self-Image and the Global Gaze

Let's begin with the leader at the helm of India's affairs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As revealed by the survey, the global figures are a study in contrasts when compared to India's domestic sentiment. An overwhelming 79% of Indians view Modi favorably, with a substantial 55% of them holding a "very favorable" opinion. Notably, Rahul Gandhi, a key opposition figure, ranks second in domestic ratings, with 60% of Indian adults surveyed expressing a positive view of him. This suggests a nuanced political landscape where leaders from both sides of the aisle garner significant public approval.

India's perception of its global influence is another noteworthy aspect of this survey. A substantial 68% of Indians believe their nation's global influence is rising. This sentiment transcends political boundaries, with 77% of supporters of the ruling alliance and 60% of those not affiliated with ruling parties concurring that India's influence is expanding. There's also a slight gender divide, with 71% of men compared to 65% of women perceiving India's growing global influence.

In contrast, India's view of the United States stands out as particularly positive. Almost half, or 49%, of Indian adults believe that the role of the United States in global affairs has strengthened, surpassing the global median of 32%. Furthermore, a significant 65% express favorable views of the U.S., while 64% have faith in President Joe Biden's handling of world affairs. This indicates a robust partnership and shared values between the two democracies.

What's even more striking is India's perception of the United States as a considerate global player. A remarkable 72% of Indian adults believe that the U.S. takes into account the interests of countries like India, a viewpoint shared by only 45% in other surveyed countries. India also sees the U.S. as a force for peace and stability worldwide (70%), albeit with a perception of occasional interference in other countries' affairs (68%).

Turning our gaze to Russia, 41% of Indians perceive Moscow's global influence as having expanded recently. More significantly, 57% of Indian adults view Russia favorably, with 23% holding an exceptionally positive view. Vladimir Putin also enjoys substantial trust in India, with 59% expressing confidence in the Russian leader. Importantly, Indians emphasize the importance of maintaining access to Russian oil and energy, with 71% prioritizing this over adopting a tough stance on Russia in relation to Ukraine. This view contrasts sharply with a global median of 27%.

In contrast, China's influence is seen differently by Indians. Only 38% believe China's global influence has grown, while a median of 66% in other countries perceive an increase in Beijing's role. A significant 67% of Indian adults express unfavorable views of China, with 50% holding a "very unfavorable" opinion. Additionally, 57% of Indians have "no confidence" in China's President Xi Jinping. Moreover, a majority of Indian adults surveyed believe that Chinese investments have not been beneficial for their economy.

Finally, Pakistan remains the least favored country among Indians, with a resounding 73% expressing unfavorable views. Interestingly, this sentiment is amplified among supporters of the ruling parties in India, with 81% expressing negative sentiments about Pakistan compared to 68% among those not affiliated with the ruling alliance.

Methodology and Size of Sample Groups

The Pew Research Center conducted a comprehensive survey to gauge global perceptions of India and its prime minister across 23 countries spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. The study also delved into how Indians perceive their nation's international influence and evaluated their attitudes toward political leaders. Notably, this survey marks the first inclusion of countries from Africa and Latin America since 2019, with the hiatus attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To compile data from countries beyond India and the United States, the research drew from nationally representative surveys involving 24,674 adults. These surveys took place from February 20 to May 22, 2023. In North America and parts of Europe, data collection occurred via telephone interviews with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in some other regions, particularly Hungary, Poland, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Australia utilized a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

For the Indian segment of the research, Pew surveyed 2,611 Indian adults between March 25 and May 11, 2023. The survey was conducted in person and adjusted to reflect the Indian adult population's demographics, including gender, age, education, region, urbanicity, and other factors.

The survey involved 3,576 U.S. adults surveyed in the United States from March 20 to 26, 2023. Participants in this survey were members of the Center's American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel recruited through national random sampling of residential addresses. This approach ensured that nearly all U.S. adults had the opportunity to be selected for participation. The U.S. survey results were weighted to represent the U.S. adult population, accounting for variables such as gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education, and other relevant factors.

Click here to find the questions employed in the report, alongside the corresponding responses.

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