Updated
Updated · Hindustan Times · Jun 27
Indian Confidence in Trump Falls to 39% as US Unfavorable Views Hit Record 31%
Updated
Updated · Hindustan Times · Jun 27

Indian Confidence in Trump Falls to 39% as US Unfavorable Views Hit Record 31%

2 articles · Updated · Hindustan Times · Jun 27

Summary

  • Pew’s 2026 survey found only 39% of Indians trust Donald Trump on world affairs—the lowest rating for a US president in India in about 25 years—while unfavorable views of the US rose to a record 31%.
  • 45% of Indians still view the US favorably, but that is down from 54% a year earlier; Trump’s confidence rating also fell from 52%, marking a sharp reversal from 2025.
  • 32% backed Trump’s immigration policies, while just 17% approved of his handling of Venezuela and 28% of Iran, pointing to tariffs, conflicts and migration restrictions as key drivers of the slide.
  • The downturn breaks with two decades of mostly positive Indian views of America: US favorability reached 76% under Barack Obama in 2009, and Joe Biden still held 64% confidence in India in 2023.
  • 3,566 Indians were interviewed in 13 languages for the 2026 poll, which suggests Trump’s second term has produced a deeper backlash in India than his first, when his ratings improved by 2020.

Insights

Can the U.S.-India partnership thrive when Indian public trust has hit a 25-year low?
As Indian disapproval of U.S. foreign policy soars, why is the country a top arms supplier to Israel?
Can personal rapport between leaders sustain economic ties when public trust is at rock bottom?