Pew said 45 per cent of Americans have a favourable view of India, while 50 per cent have an unfavourable view.
This year marks the first time in Pew’s tracking that unfavourable views of India have overtaken favourable views among Americans.
Around 50 per cent of Democrats expressed a positive view, compared with 42 per cent of Republicans.
Among adults aged 18 to 29, only 42 per cent held a favourable view.
How Americans view India’s global influenceThe survey also asked Americans how they perceive India’s changing role in world affairs.
For the first time in Pew’s tracking, more Americans view India unfavourably than favourably, with the country’s positive rating falling six percentage points since 2023
American views of India have reached one of their lowest points in nearly two decades, with more US adults now holding an unfavourable opinion of the country than a favourable one, according to the latest findings from the Pew Research Center.
Pew said 45 per cent of Americans have a favourable view of India, while 50 per cent have an unfavourable view. The research organisation noted that these figures are among the lowest recorded since it began asking Americans about their views of India in 2008.
The findings come from Pew’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey, which surveyed 42,092 adults across 36 countries.
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Favourable views steadily decline
The latest figures point to a continued decline in positive sentiment towards India among Americans.
In 2023, 51 per cent of US adults said they viewed India favourably. That figure fell to 49 per cent in 2025 before dropping another four percentage points this year.
This year marks the first time in Pew’s tracking that unfavourable views of India have overtaken favourable views among Americans.
Pew highlighted the shift in a post on X, saying, “these ratings are some of the lowest since 2008, when we began asking this question”.
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Political and age differences
The survey also found clear differences in how Americans from different political and age groups view India.
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely to have a favourable opinion of India than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Around 50 per cent of Democrats expressed a positive view, compared with 42 per cent of Republicans.
The gap is wider when respondents are divided by ideology. 54 per cent of liberals said they viewed India favourably, compared with 40 per cent of conservatives.
Age also appears to play a role. Americans aged 65 and above were the most positive, with 50 per cent expressing a favourable opinion of India. Among adults aged 18 to 29, only 42 per cent held a favourable view.
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India remains broadly viewed positively worldwide
Despite the decline in the US, India continues to have a slightly positive image globally.
Across the 36 countries surveyed, a median of 45 per cent of respondents said they had a favourable view of India, compared with 41 per cent who expressed an unfavourable opinion.
India received particularly strong positive ratings in several countries. Sri Lanka recorded the highest favourable rating at 79 per cent, followed by Kenya at 71 per cent. The UK also recorded 71 per cent, while Germany registered a comparatively positive view.
At the same time, the US is among several countries where favourable views of India have declined. South Korea, Turkey and Bangladesh have also recorded recent drops in positive sentiment.
How Americans view India’s global influence
The survey also asked Americans how they perceive India’s changing role in world affairs.
A majority, 54 per cent, said India’s influence has remained roughly unchanged in recent years. Meanwhile, 30 per cent said India’s influence has grown stronger.
The findings suggest that while India continues to maintain a broadly positive image across much of the world, its standing among the American public has weakened significantly in recent years.
