South Asians' Views of Each Other Revealed in Pew Survey
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- Sri Lanka is the only South Asian country viewed more positively than negatively across the region, with favorable ratings from majorities in Bangladesh (56%), Pakistan (66%), and India (around half).
- India receives sharply divergent views: 79% of Sri Lankans see it positively, but only 42% in Bangladesh and 7% in Pakistan, where it is most often named as the greatest threat.
- Narendra Modi is trusted by 70% of Sri Lankans to do the right thing in world affairs, but only 4% of Pakistanis and 42% of Bangladeshis express confidence in him.
- Pakistan is seen favorably by 57% of Sri Lankans and 54% of Bangladeshis—up from 44% and 40% in 2024—but only 8% of Indians hold a positive view, the lowest on record.
- Bangladesh’s favorability has dropped 10 points in India since 2024, while rising 9 points in Sri Lanka; only a quarter of Indians now view Bangladesh positively.
- Indian Muslims express more favorable views of Pakistan (21%) and Bangladesh (41%) than Indian Hindus (6% and 23%, respectively), though two-thirds still view Pakistan negatively.
- Younger adults in India and Sri Lanka hold warmer views of neighboring countries than older generations, and higher education correlates with more positive regional perceptions across all four nations.
Why it matters: Regional diplomacy faces asymmetric public opinion: while Sri Lanka enjoys broad goodwill, India and Pakistan remain deeply polarizing. The 15-point drop in India's favorability in Bangladesh since 2024 and record-low Indian views of Pakistan signal growing public resistance to cooperation, complicating state-led efforts at regional engagement, especially among younger, more educated demographics who typically support integration.
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