Political tensions between neighboring nations often ripple directly into public sentiment, casting a long shadow over how citizens view one another across borders. The latest findings from the Pew Research Center Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey reveal that unfavorable views remain overwhelmingly strong between the populations of India and Pakistan. According to the study, a vast majority of citizens in both countries harbor negative perceptions toward their neighbor, underscoring the deep-seated distrust that continues to define cross-border attitudes.
Pakistani Public Sentiment Toward India
The data collected by the Pew Research Center highlights a particularly intense level of disapproval among adults in Pakistan when asked about their perception of India. An overwhelming 91 percent of Pakistani adults express an unfavorable opinion toward India, leaving only 7 percent of respondents who hold a positive or favorable view of the country. This stark breakdown demonstrates how widespread negative perceptions are among the Pakistani public.
Looking more closely at the Pakistani responses, 73 percent of surveyed adults state that they hold a very unfavorable view of India, reflecting strong disapproval. An additional 18 percent report a somewhat unfavorable perspective, bringing the total negative sentiment to 91 percent. The remaining small percentage accounts for neutral or favorable responses, indicating that positive sentiment toward India remains minimal within the country.
Indian Public Sentiment Toward Pakistan
On the Indian side of the border, public attitude toward Pakistan shows a similarly predominant pattern of disapproval. The survey indicates that 78 percent of adult respondents in India hold an unfavorable opinion of Pakistan, compared to just 8 percent who express a favorable or open-minded perspective toward the neighboring nation. These figures reflect a broad consensus of mistrust within the Indian public regarding Pakistan.
A detailed breakdown of the Indian figures shows that 65 percent of adults harbor a very unfavorable view of Pakistan. Meanwhile, 13 percent of respondents report a somewhat unfavorable opinion. Combined, these categories comprise the total 78 percent negative stance, showing that a significant majority of Indians view Pakistan in a critical or cautious light.
Diplomatic Strain and the Shaping of Public Perception
These findings from the Pew Research Center come at a time when formal diplomatic and political ties between India and Pakistan have remained strained for an extended duration. Ongoing geopolitical friction, limited official dialogue, and persistent regional challenges appear to play a direct role in maintaining negative opinions among citizens. Analysts point out that state-level relations heavily influence public discourse on both sides, suggesting that as long as bilateral ties remain cold, public perception is unlikely to experience a significant shift toward warmth or reconciliation.
