Pew: India favorability ranges 79% to 7% across 36 countries
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- Pew Research Center surveyed 36 countries from Feb. 9 to May 13, 2026, finding a median 45% favorable versus 41% unfavorable view of India.
- Sri Lanka gave India a 79% favorability rating while Pakistan sat at just 7% — the widest neighbor gap in the survey.
- Kenya and the United Kingdom both showed roughly 70% favorability, with majorities favorable also recorded in Germany, Israel, Italy, Sweden, Japan, and Thailand.
- American favorability stands at 45% versus 50% unfavorable — among the lowest readings since 2008, down from 51% in 2023, with Democrats (50%) more favorable than Republicans (42%).
- Favorability declined in 7 of 10 countries with statistically significant shifts since 2025, including 10-point drops in Turkey and Nigeria and a 15-point drop in Bangladesh since 2024.
- In Germany, favorable views of India rose to 63% from 47% in 2023; the UK climbed 11 points since 2025 and Sri Lanka rose 14 points since 2024.
- Israel showed a reversed ideological pattern — 68% of right-leaning Israelis viewed India favorably versus 46% on the left, the opposite of the US and Canada.
Why it matters: India's global standing is geographically fragmented in ways the headline median masks: a 72-point gap between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and US favorability near historic lows. The data shows India's image is improving in Europe (Germany up 16 points since 2023) while souring in its own neighborhood (Bangladesh down 15 points since 2024). That divergence means diplomatic gains in the West may not translate to regional standing.
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