Washington, Aug 29: A new poll conducted among people in more than 23 countries showed that India is generally viewed favourably by the world.
The poll also found that while most Indians said their country’s global influence has grown stronger in recent years, the rest of the world disagreed, and either saw no change in India’s standing or saw it get weaker.
At home in India, the 24th country polled for this survey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a commanding double-digit lead over his key challenger for premiership, Rahul Gandhi of the Congress.
The multi-nation poll was conducted by the Pew Research Center to assess India’s image in the world in the year of India’s presidency of the G-20, whose leaders will congregate in a few days in New Delhi for their annual summit.
Pew polled 28,250 people in 23 countries between March and May, and 2,611 in India, over phone and Internet and in face-to-face interviews.
The survey report released on Tuesday showed that a median of 46 per cent of the respondents held a favourable view of India and a median of 34 per cent held an unfavorable view.
Views about India were most positive in Israel (71 per cent), followed by the United Kingdom (66 per cent), Kenya (6 per cent), Nigeria (60 per cent), South Korea (58 per cent), (Japan (55 per cent), Australia (52 per cent), the United States (51 per cent) and Canada (47 per cent).
Holding a positive view of India did not, however, translate to believing India’s global clout is growing.
Only 29 per cent of the Israelis, 34 per cent of the respondents in the UK, 32 per cent in Japan and 23 per cent in the US said India’s clout has grown in recent years. (IANS)
