Recent findings from Pew Research reveal a significant decline in favorable views of India among Americans, with positive opinions dropping to 45% and negative views rising to 50%—the lowest in nearly two decades.
Americans are increasingly expressing negative sentiments toward India, marking a pivotal shift in public opinion. According to the Pew Research Center’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey, only 45% of U.S. adults reported a favorable opinion of India, while 50% indicated an unfavorable view. This change represents one of the lowest ratings recorded since Pew began tracking American attitudes toward India in 2008.
This decline is particularly striking when compared to previous years. In 2023, 51% of Americans held a positive view of India, which decreased to 49% in 2025 and fell further by four percentage points in 2026.
Pew highlighted this trend in a post on X, emphasizing that the current ratings are among the lowest since they began asking about American perceptions of India nearly two decades ago.
The survey, which encompassed responses from 42,092 adults across 36 countries, revealed that perceptions of India vary significantly based on political affiliation and age. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents were more likely to view India favorably than their Republican counterparts. Approximately 50% of Democrats expressed a positive opinion of India, compared to 42% of Republicans.
The ideological divide was even more pronounced among different political ideologies. Among liberal Americans, 54% reported a favorable view of India, while only 40% of conservatives shared that sentiment.
Age also played a critical role in shaping opinions about India. Among respondents aged 65 and older, half viewed India positively, making this demographic the most favorable toward the country. Conversely, only 42% of Americans aged 18 to 29 expressed a favorable opinion.
On a global scale, India’s image remains somewhat more favorable. Across the 36 countries surveyed, a median of 45% of respondents reported a positive opinion of India, while 41% held an unfavorable view. Notably, some countries displayed significantly stronger favorable ratings for India. Sri Lanka recorded the highest favorable opinion at 79%, followed by Kenya and the United Kingdom, both at 71%. Germany also showed a comparatively positive assessment of India.
However, India has experienced a decline in favorable ratings in several countries, including South Korea, Turkey, and Bangladesh, where positive views have diminished in recent years.
The Pew survey further explored how Americans perceive India’s role on the global stage. A majority, 54%, believe that India’s influence in world affairs has remained stable in recent years, while 30% feel that India has become more influential.
The findings underscore a growing disparity between India’s overall international image and its perception among the American public. While India continues to receive generally positive ratings in many parts of the world, its standing among Americans has weakened considerably compared to just a few years ago.
These insights reflect a complex and evolving relationship between the United States and India, highlighting the need for further examination of the factors contributing to these changing perceptions.
According to Pew Research Center, the decline in favorable views of India among Americans is significant and warrants attention.