50% of Americans now view India negatively. What Pew survey found

A Pew Research Center survey conducted from February 8 to May 13, 2026, reveals that 50% of Americans now view India negatively, marking the lowest favorable opinion of the country since the survey began in 2008. Among US adults, 45% have a favorable view of India, while 50% hold an unfavorable view. This shift is significant, as favorable opinion of India among Americans fell from 51% in 2023 to 45% in 2026.

The survey, which polled 42,092 people across 36 countries, also found that India's global image varies sharply across these countries. Sri Lanka has the most favorable view of India, with 79% expressing a positive opinion, while Pakistan stands out with only 7% having a favorable view. The United Kingdom and Kenya also show high favorability, with 71% expressing positive opinions.

Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and Thailand record favorable views ranging from 56% to 55%. In contrast, Turkey and the West Bank/East Jerusalem show the least favorability, with 15% and 7% favorable opinions, respectively. The survey also highlights ideological differences within countries, with Republicans in the US more likely to have an unfavorable view of India (42%) compared to Democrats and lean Democrats (50%).