Indian American community / Pew Research Centre

Americans view India more unfavorably than favorably, with 50 percent expressing an unfavorable opinion compared with 45 percent who hold a favorable view, according to a new survey.

The findings from the Pew Research Center’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey indicate that U.S. ratings are some of the lowest recorded since it began asking Americans about India in 2008. 

Also Read: Favourable view of US slides among Indians: Survey

The share of Americans with a favorable opinion has mostly declined since 2023, when 51 percent expressed a positive view. In 2025, 49 percent of Americans viewed India favorably, meaning the figure has fallen four percentage points over the past year.

Democrats More Favorable Than Republicans

American views of India also differ by political affiliation. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents to view India favorably, at 50 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

The survey also found differences by age. Half of Americans ages 65 and older view India favorably, compared with 42 percent of those ages 18 to 29.

Among adults ages 30 to 49, 41 percent have a favorable view of India, while 54 percent hold an unfavorable opinion. Americans ages 50 to 64 are more evenly divided, with 50 percent viewing India favorably and 46 percent unfavorably.

The survey also found an ideological divide in the U.S. Liberals are more likely than conservatives to have a favorable view of India, with 54 percent of liberals expressing a positive opinion compared with 40 percent of conservatives.

Most Americans See India’s Influence as Unchanged

The survey also asked Americans about India’s influence in the world.

A majority, 54 percent, said India’s global influence has remained about the same in recent years. Thirty percent said its influence is getting stronger, while 13 percent said it is getting weaker.

India’s Global Image Mixed

The U.S. findings are part of the survey conducted Feb. 9-May 13 among 42,092 people across 36 countries. Overall, a median of 45 percent of respondents expressed a favorable view of India, while 41 percent held an unfavorable opinion.

Sri Lanka has the highest favorable rating, at 79 percent, followed by Kenya and the United Kingdom, both at 71 percent. Majorities in Germany, Israel, Italy, Sweden, Japan and Thailand also express favorable views of India.

Views among India’s neighbors vary sharply. Only 7 percent of respondents in Pakistan have a favorable view of India. In Bangladesh, 42 percent hold a favorable view, down 15 percentage points from 2024.

Favorable views are also particularly low in Turkey, at 15 percent, and in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, at 18 percent. Majorities in both places hold unfavorable views of India.

In several European and Latin American countries, views are more mixed, with large shares not offering an opinion. Overall, views tend to be more positive than negative in Europe, while the reverse is generally true in Latin America.

Views Improve in U.K., Germany and Sri Lanka

India’s image has shifted in both directions since previous surveys. Statistically significant changes were recorded in 10 countries, with favorable ratings falling in seven of them.

Since 2025, favorable views of India have fallen by 10 percentage points in both Turkey and Nigeria. Favorability also declined in the U.S., Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico.

Bangladesh recorded the largest decline among countries surveyed since 2024, with favorable views dropping 15 points, from 57 percent to 42 percent. The share of Bangladeshis who did not offer an opinion also fell, from 24 percent to 7 percent.

At the same time, views of India became more favorable in the United Kingdom, Germany and Sri Lanka. The U.K. recorded an 11-point increase since 2025, reaching 71 percent, while Germany’s favorable rating rose six points to 63 percent. In Sri Lanka, favorability increased 14 points since 2024, reaching 79 percent.

Since 2023, favorable views of India have also increased in several European countries. Germany’s rating rose from 47 percent in 2023 to 63 percent in 2026, while France’s increased from 39 percent to 50 percent.

Outside Europe, views have generally become less favorable compared with 2023. In South Korea, for example, the share expressing a favorable view fell from 59 percent in 2023 to 44 percent in 2026.

The survey also found ideological differences in views of India in Canada and Israel. In Canada, 58 percent of people on the ideological left have a favorable view of India, compared with 45 percent on the right. In Israel, the pattern is reversed, with 68 percent of people on the right viewing India favorably compared with 46 percent on the left.

The findings are from Pew Research Center’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey.

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