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Indians three times more likely than Pakistanis to favour US: Pew report

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • Indians hold a significantly more favorable view of the United States than Pakistanis, with 45% of Indian adults expressing a positive opinion compared to just 15% of Pakistani adults.
  • Pakistanis overwhelmingly favor China, with 90% expressing positive views, while Indians show more divided opinions between the US (45%) and China (23%).
  • The report highlights differing geopolitical alliances, with Pakistanis identifying China as their most important ally, while Indians name Russia and, to a lesser extent, the US.

Indians are three times more likely than Pakistanis to view the United States favorably, according to a Pew Research Center report. In India, 45% of adults hold a positive opinion of the U.S., contrasting sharply with Pakistan, where only 15% of adults share that view.

Indeed, across 36 countries, the favourability gap between the US and China is largest in Pakistan.

— Pew Research Center reportHighlighting the stark differences in perceptions between India and Pakistan regarding global allies.

The report also reveals a strong preference for China in Pakistan, with 90% of respondents backing Beijing. This finding comes as Pakistan is seen strengthening ties with the U.S. globally, while simultaneously praising China as its most important ally. India, on the other hand, shows a more mixed view, with 45% favorable to the U.S. and 23% to China.

India is one of the most comparatively pro-US countries surveyed, and one of only six where people express more positive views of the US than China.

— Pew Research Center reportDescribing India's comparatively positive views of the United States.

Geopolitical alignments differ significantly between the two nations. Pakistanis identify China as their primary ally, followed by Saudi Arabia. Indians, however, name Russia as their top ally, with the U.S. a distant second. Indians also express more positive views of Russia and President Vladimir Putin compared to Pakistanis.

On a variety of questions about the role the US and China play in the world... a similar pattern holds, with Indians more positive toward the US and Pakistanis far more positive toward China.

— Pew Research Center reportSummarizing the differing views on the U.S. and China between Indians and Pakistanis.

The survey, which included 3,566 people in India and 1,039 in Pakistan, was conducted between February and May 2026. The findings underscore distinct perceptions of global powers and alliances in the region, despite ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and India.

Pakistanis think of China (75%) as their most important ally and, to a lesser degree, Saudi Arabia (12%), according to the report.

— Pew Research Center reportDetailing Pakistan's preferred global allies.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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