NEW DELHI: In a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, it has been revealed that a substantial 80% of Indians hold a favourable opinion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a significant majority of them observing a tangible enhancement in India’s international influence in recent times. The study, spanning from February to May, engaged more than 30,800 adults across India and 23 other nations, and it offered insights into global perspectives on India’s geopolitical status, perceptions of PM Modi, and attitudes towards other countries.
While Indians as a whole (79 per cent) had a favourable opinion of PM Modi, 55 per cent of the respondents expressed a ”very favourable” view of their Prime Minister, who has held office since 2014 and is currently seeking re-election for a third term in the upcoming national elections next summer. In stark contrast, merely a fifth of those surveyed held a negative perspective of the leader. These findings were unveiled just ahead of the forthcoming Group of 20 leaders’ summit set to take place in New Delhi next month.
‘India’s Global Stature Has Risen’
The research further illuminated that 68% of Indian participants believed that India’s global influence had surged in recent years, while only 19% perceived a decline. Within the G20 nations, India garnered favorability in the eyes of the majority, though the survey indicated that the positive sentiment towards India had diminished within European countries over the past 15 years.
The Pew survey unveiled a median of 46% favorability towards India worldwide, with 34% holding an unfavourable opinion. Additionally, participants from 12 of the surveyed countries were asked about their confidence in Prime Minister Modi’s capacity to navigate international affairs. The results demonstrated that 40% lacked faith in his decision-making, while 37% expressed confidence.
World Divided On PM Modi’s Leadership: Survey
It’s noteworthy that Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, all G20 members, were not included in the survey pool, which primarily focused on India. While the survey pointed out that India’s image generally leaned toward favorability rather than negativity, the popularity seemed to have waned across most European nations. Notably, in France, India’s favourable rating had plummeted from 70% 15 years ago to a mere 39% in 2023.
In terms of bilateral relations, Israel emerged as a notable exception. A substantial 71% of Israeli respondents viewed India favourably, the highest figure among all surveyed nations. Interestingly, despite this favourable perception, a marginal discrepancy was noted in the confidence levels towards PM Modi, with 42% of Israelis lacking confidence compared to 41% who expressed confidence.
In the realm of global dynamics, nearly half of Indian respondents believed that the United States had augmented its influence in recent years, likely influenced by the strengthening strategic partnership between India and the US as they collectively addressed the challenge posed by China’s ascent.
Similarly, 41% of Indian participants noted Russia’s growing influence, while 21% thought it had diminished. Conversely, India’s opinion of China was predominantly critical, with 67% expressing an unfavourable view, the highest among all nations surveyed. This sentiment resonates against the backdrop of the ongoing border tensions between the two nations since 2020.
Of all the public surveyed, Indians are the ones who are most likely to believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin will do the right thing in regard to international affairs. Similar to how India (65 per cent) views the United States more highly than many other nations surveyed by the Pew Research Center.
In general, young Indians are more inclined to express an opinion about India. A quarter or more of Indians have no opinion on Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the two leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC), according to a Pew Research Center survey.