Among major Asian countries, Bangladeshis are the most favorable towards India and Pakistanis the least, says the recently released Spring 2014 Global Attitudes Survey [pdf here] by the Pew Research Center, a Washington, DC-based think-tank.
While 70% Bangladeshis said they had a favourable view of India, only 13% Pakistanis had a positive outlook towards their eastern neighbour. Nepal and Bhutan were not among the 44 countries surveyed. Fifty-five percent Americans thought positively of India.
How favourable are other Asians towards Pakistan?
Bangladeshis seem generally very positive of everyone. Their worst rating for Pakistan, a country they liberated themselves from, is also a good 50%. That makes Bangladeshis the second-biggest fan of India's western neighbour, preceded only by Indonesia.
China may be Pakistan's closest all-weather ally, but only 30% Chinese surveyed were favourable towards Pakistan. The most unfavourable opinion of India was in Pakistan (53%) and 49% Indians returned the compliment.
How favourable are other Asians towards China?
Pakistan is the most China-loving of the 44 countries surveyed. Nearly eight of every 10 Pakistanis (or 78% of respondents) were favourable towards China. China is perhaps Bangladesh's favourite country, with a 77% approval. Less than a third of Indians are favourable towards China, comparable to how many Americans are positive towards China (35%).
Who's your best friend, and worst enemy?
Clearly, the US is the best ally for most Asian countries, rather than another Asian country. Pakistan was seen as the biggest threat to India by 45% Indians, whereas Pakistanis thought the US was a bigger threat than India. The Chinese feel the US is their biggest threat but Americans still fear Russia more.
Global favourability of China
Unsurprisingly, China is most liked by Pakistanis, most disliked by the Japanese.
Overall, do you think China’s growing economy is a good thing or a bad thing for your country?
The most enthusiasm for China's economic growth comes from Bangladesh, more than even Pakistan. Despite being political enemies, a good 47% Japanese are positive about China's growing economy. Only 23% Indians share that view, and the Italians are the most worried.
Does the government of China respect the personal freedoms of its people?
Every fourth Indian (24%) thinks so, but the Bangladeshi enthusiasm (66%) again beats China's best friend, Pakistan (52%)
Will China eventually replace US as superpower?
Half the world thinks so, but India is more sceptical; only 33% agree.
Everyone fears China's disputes with neighbouring countries could escalate.
Yes, even Bangladeshis agree here. Filipinos even more than Japanese.
Do Indians love the US? So-so.
It is often thought that Indians are amongst the most America-loving people, but actually the survey found only 55% popularity of the US in India. The US had a far better impression among the Philippines (92%), Bangladeshis (76%) and Kenyans (80%). The worst rating for the US came from Egypt, only 10%.
A generation gap in how Indians view the US
In most countries, the youth are more positive about the US. That generation gap is the largest in the US.
Confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs
Indian confidence in president Barack Obama declined a bit, from 53% in 2013 to 48% in 2014. That is still around the median rating of 56%. In the same period, China registered the largest increase in its ratings for Obama, from 31% to 51%. Pakistan was the only country with a single-digit positive rating of the U.S. head of state.
Who's okay with American drone strikes?
More Indians disapprove of drone strikes as a form of American warfare (36%) than approve of it (28%). Israel is one of the few countries where the ayes are more than the nays on this issue. You would think the largest opposition to American drone strikes would come from Pakistan, the country where this is a hot political issue.
Although 66% Pakistanis disapprove of them, the disapproval is far higher in many countries including Bangladesh, Brazil and Greece. At the same time, Pakistan also has the lowest approval rating for drones (3%).
It is acceptable to electronically monitor suspected terrorists.
Almost half (47%) of the Indian respondents agreed with that statement. That's among the lowest approval rating for surveillance of suspected terrorists. In the US, 73% thought this was okay.
Indians don't mind their communications being monitored by the US!
Only 33% Indians agreed with the statement that it was unacceptable for the US to monitor foreign citizens. That is the second best rating for the US on this count, among the 44 countries surveyed. Even in the US itself, a good 47% thought this was unacceptable. The most upset were the Greeks (97%).
Most Indians don't care if the US monitors Indian leaders.
Only 32% Indians felt it was unacceptable for the US to monitor Indian leaders. The strongest opposition to this was in Germany. Indians again shared their nonchalance on the issue with Nigerians and Filipinos.
Is it unacceptable for US to monitor US citizens? Indians don't care.
Funnily, the Brazilians and the French are more bothered by this than the Americans themselves.
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While 70% Bangladeshis said they had a favourable view of India, only 13% Pakistanis had a positive outlook towards their eastern neighbour. Nepal and Bhutan were not among the 44 countries surveyed. Fifty-five percent Americans thought positively of India.
How favourable are other Asians towards Pakistan?
Bangladeshis seem generally very positive of everyone. Their worst rating for Pakistan, a country they liberated themselves from, is also a good 50%. That makes Bangladeshis the second-biggest fan of India's western neighbour, preceded only by Indonesia.
China may be Pakistan's closest all-weather ally, but only 30% Chinese surveyed were favourable towards Pakistan. The most unfavourable opinion of India was in Pakistan (53%) and 49% Indians returned the compliment.
How favourable are other Asians towards China?
Pakistan is the most China-loving of the 44 countries surveyed. Nearly eight of every 10 Pakistanis (or 78% of respondents) were favourable towards China. China is perhaps Bangladesh's favourite country, with a 77% approval. Less than a third of Indians are favourable towards China, comparable to how many Americans are positive towards China (35%).
Who's your best friend, and worst enemy?
Clearly, the US is the best ally for most Asian countries, rather than another Asian country. Pakistan was seen as the biggest threat to India by 45% Indians, whereas Pakistanis thought the US was a bigger threat than India. The Chinese feel the US is their biggest threat but Americans still fear Russia more.
Global favourability of China
Unsurprisingly, China is most liked by Pakistanis, most disliked by the Japanese.
Overall, do you think China’s growing economy is a good thing or a bad thing for your country?
The most enthusiasm for China's economic growth comes from Bangladesh, more than even Pakistan. Despite being political enemies, a good 47% Japanese are positive about China's growing economy. Only 23% Indians share that view, and the Italians are the most worried.
Does the government of China respect the personal freedoms of its people?
Every fourth Indian (24%) thinks so, but the Bangladeshi enthusiasm (66%) again beats China's best friend, Pakistan (52%)
Will China eventually replace US as superpower?
Half the world thinks so, but India is more sceptical; only 33% agree.
Everyone fears China's disputes with neighbouring countries could escalate.
Yes, even Bangladeshis agree here. Filipinos even more than Japanese.
Do Indians love the US? So-so.
It is often thought that Indians are amongst the most America-loving people, but actually the survey found only 55% popularity of the US in India. The US had a far better impression among the Philippines (92%), Bangladeshis (76%) and Kenyans (80%). The worst rating for the US came from Egypt, only 10%.
A generation gap in how Indians view the US
In most countries, the youth are more positive about the US. That generation gap is the largest in the US.
Confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs
Indian confidence in president Barack Obama declined a bit, from 53% in 2013 to 48% in 2014. That is still around the median rating of 56%. In the same period, China registered the largest increase in its ratings for Obama, from 31% to 51%. Pakistan was the only country with a single-digit positive rating of the U.S. head of state.
Who's okay with American drone strikes?
More Indians disapprove of drone strikes as a form of American warfare (36%) than approve of it (28%). Israel is one of the few countries where the ayes are more than the nays on this issue. You would think the largest opposition to American drone strikes would come from Pakistan, the country where this is a hot political issue.
Although 66% Pakistanis disapprove of them, the disapproval is far higher in many countries including Bangladesh, Brazil and Greece. At the same time, Pakistan also has the lowest approval rating for drones (3%).
It is acceptable to electronically monitor suspected terrorists.
Almost half (47%) of the Indian respondents agreed with that statement. That's among the lowest approval rating for surveillance of suspected terrorists. In the US, 73% thought this was okay.
Indians don't mind their communications being monitored by the US!
Only 33% Indians agreed with the statement that it was unacceptable for the US to monitor foreign citizens. That is the second best rating for the US on this count, among the 44 countries surveyed. Even in the US itself, a good 47% thought this was unacceptable. The most upset were the Greeks (97%).
Most Indians don't care if the US monitors Indian leaders.
Only 32% Indians felt it was unacceptable for the US to monitor Indian leaders. The strongest opposition to this was in Germany. Indians again shared their nonchalance on the issue with Nigerians and Filipinos.
Is it unacceptable for US to monitor US citizens? Indians don't care.
Funnily, the Brazilians and the French are more bothered by this than the Americans themselves.
