Americans Now View India More Unfavourably Than Favourably
India’s image in the United States has taken a notable hit, with a new global survey finding that only 45% of Americans now have a favourable opinion of India, while 50% hold an unfavourable view.
This is the first time since Pew Research Center began asking the question in 2008 that the unfavourable share has reached 50% in the US.
The findings come from Pew’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey, which covered 42,092 people across 36 countries.
India’s US Favourability Has Fallen Since 2023
The latest numbers continue a downward trend in American perceptions of India.
In 2023, 51% of Americans viewed India favourably.
That figure fell to 43% in 2024 before recovering slightly to 49% in 2025.
It has now dropped further to 45% in 2026.
The latest result represents a four-percentage-point decline from last year and puts favourable opinion five points below the unfavourable rating.
Young Americans Are More Negative About India
The survey also shows a clear age divide in how Americans view India.
Only 42% of Americans aged 18 to 29 have a favourable opinion of India, while 56% view the country unfavourably.
Among Americans aged 30 to 49, 41% have a favourable opinion and 54% an unfavourable one.
The picture is considerably more positive among older Americans.
Around 50% of people aged 50 to 64 and those aged 65 and above view India favourably.
This suggests that India’s image varies significantly across generations in the United States.
Political Differences Are Also Visible
Political affiliation also plays a role in American perceptions of India.
Around 50% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view India favourably.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning Americans, the figure is lower at 42%.
On the other side, 55% of Republicans have an unfavourable opinion of India, compared with 47% of Democrats.
The survey also found that political ideology matters within the parties, with liberal Americans considerably more likely than conservatives to hold a favourable view of India.
India’s Global Image Is Mixed
The US is not the only country where opinions about India are divided.
Across the 36 countries surveyed, the median favourable rating for India was 45%, while the median unfavourable rating stood at 41%.
India received its strongest favourable rating in Sri Lanka, where 79% of respondents viewed the country positively.
The United Kingdom also recorded a strong 71% favourable rating, followed by Kenya at 71% and Germany at 63%.
Neighbouring Countries Have Very Different Views
Opinions of India vary dramatically across its neighbouring countries.
Sri Lanka recorded the highest favourable rating at 79%.
Bangladesh was considerably more divided, with 42% viewing India favourably and 51% unfavourably.
The contrast with Pakistan is even more striking.
Only 7% of respondents in Pakistan expressed a favourable opinion of India, while 91% held an unfavourable view.
This makes Pakistan the country with the most negative perception of India among those surveyed.
India’s Image Has Improved In Some Countries
The global picture is not entirely negative.
India’s favourability increased significantly in several countries compared with the previous survey.
The United Kingdom recorded an 11-point increase, taking its favourable rating from 60% to 71%.
Germany saw a six-point increase to 63%.
Sri Lanka also recorded a substantial improvement compared with its previous survey, with favourable views rising by 14 percentage points.
This means India’s global image is not uniformly deteriorating.
Declines Were Recorded In Several Countries
At the same time, India experienced significant declines in some markets.
Favourable views fell by 10 percentage points in both Turkey and Nigeria compared with 2025.
The US, Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico also recorded declines.
Bangladesh experienced an especially sharp deterioration compared with its previous survey in 2024, with favourable views falling by 15 percentage points.
Americans Still See India’s Global Influence
Despite the decline in favourability, Americans do not overwhelmingly believe India’s global influence is weakening.
Around 54% of Americans said India’s influence in the world has remained about the same in recent years.
Another 30% believe India’s influence is becoming stronger.
Only 13% said India’s global influence is becoming weaker.
This suggests that perceptions of India’s growing international importance remain relatively positive even as opinions about the country itself have become less favourable.
India’s Soft Power Faces A New Challenge
The latest numbers are significant because the United States is one of India’s most important strategic, economic and diplomatic partners.
A decline in public favourability does not automatically translate into weaker government-to-government relations.
However, public perception matters for a country’s soft power, particularly over the long term.
India has invested heavily in strengthening its global image through diplomacy, economic partnerships, technology, culture and its growing role in international affairs.
The Pew findings suggest that maintaining that positive perception may become increasingly challenging, particularly among younger Americans.
A Warning Sign, Not A Complete Reversal
India’s 45% favourable rating in the US should not be interpreted as a collapse in India’s global standing.
The country continues to receive favourable ratings in several major economies, including the UK, Germany, Italy and Japan.
However, the US numbers are notable because they represent a sustained decline from the 51% favourable rating recorded in 2023.
The generational divide is particularly important.
If younger Americans continue to view India less favourably than older generations, the country could face a longer-term challenge in maintaining its soft power among future American voters, consumers and policymakers.
India’s Global Image Is Becoming More Polarised
The latest survey ultimately presents a complicated picture.
India remains highly popular in countries such as Sri Lanka, the UK and Kenya, while receiving strongly negative ratings in Pakistan and Turkey.
In the US, meanwhile, favourable opinion has fallen below the halfway mark for the first time in Pew’s tracking.
The bigger takeaway is that India’s international image is no longer moving in a single direction.
While India’s economic and geopolitical influence continues to grow, perceptions of the country vary sharply depending on geography, age and political outlook.
Summary
A new Pew Research Center survey shows that 45% of Americans now have a favourable opinion of India, while 50% view the country unfavourably. India’s favourable rating in the US has fallen from 51% in 2023 to 45% in 2026, after briefly recovering to 49% last year. Younger Americans are more negative, with only 42% of those aged 18 to 29 viewing India favourably. Political differences are also evident, with Democrats more favourable towards India than Republicans. Globally, India’s image remains mixed, ranging from 79% favourable in Sri Lanka to just 7% in Pakistan.
