Modi's international popularity questionable, but India's image more favourable: Report

Public opinions about PM Modi vary by country, with a median of 40 per cent of the respondents expressing a lack of trust in his decisions regarding global affairs, according to a survey.

The US-based Pew Research Center published a new report on August 29, highlighting international views of India as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some 30,861 adults in 24 countries, including India, were surveyed (28,250 of them not Indian citizens) as part of Pew's Global Attitudes Survey.

Following is a summary of some of the findings of the report:

International confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Public opinions about PM Modi vary by country, with a median of 40 per cent of the respondents expressing a lack of trust in his decisions regarding global affairs, while a median of 37 per cent said they had at least some level of confidence in the prime minister. Some 40 per cent of respondents in the US had never heard of Modi. There were also significant minorities in most nations who did not share an opinion.

International confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Notably, Mexicans and Brazilians are particularly critical of Modi, with over half of the respondents in these countries lacking faith in his foreign policy decisions. 

Similar sentiments are observed in Argentina, South Africa, South Korea, and the US, where scepticism towards Modi is more common than confidence in him, if any opinion is expressed.

In contrast, respondents in Japan, Kenya, and Nigeria tend to have greater confidence in Modi's competence, with 60 per cent of Kenyans expressing at least some level of trust in the prime minister’s capability to make sound decisions regarding global affairs.

How India is viewed globally

A majority of respondents in the 23 surveyed countries generally hold favourable views of India, with a median of 46 per cent expressing a positive sentiment, compared to 34 per cent with an unfavourable view. 

How India is viewed globally.

Notably, Israel shows the highest favourability at 71 per cent, while respondents in Kenya, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom also display strong positive sentiments, where over 60 per cent hold a favourable view of the country. Nearly 25% of respondents in Kenya and Nigeria had a “very favourable” view of India.

However, India's image is less positive in certain countries such as South Africa, the Netherlands, and Spain - where half (or nearly half) of the respondents view the country unfavourably. About 36 per cent of South African respondents held a “very unfavourable” view of the country.

Interestingly, political leanings were found to influence perceptions - in Hungary, Australia, and Israel, those on the right tend to view India more favourably, whereas, in the US, liberals are more inclined to have a positive opinion. Favourable views were also more common among supporters of certain populist parties in Europe - such as Greek Solution in Greece, Nationally Rally in France and Vox in Spain. 

Political leanings were found to influence perceptions respondents held about India.

Over time, India's image has become more negative in several countries.

Views of India have become more negative in several countries.

Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and South Korea have seen declines in favourable views, as have some European countries. An uptick in favourable views was recorded in Mexico and Nigeria.