Pew's 2026 survey found that confidence among Indians in US President Donald Trump has fallen to 39%, the lowest level recorded for a US president in nearly 25 years, while US favourability dropped to 45%.
Indian respondents expressed low support for Trump's policies on immigration, Iran, Venezuela, international aid and ongoing global conflicts.
The findings mark a sharp reversal from the generally favourable views of the US seen during the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and, initially, Joe Biden, as well as during Trump's first term.
Confidence among Indians in the US President among Indian's has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 25 years, while favourable views of the United States have also declined sharply, according to the Pew Research Center's 2026 global attitudes survey.
The survey found that only 45% of Indians now hold a favourable view of the US, down from 54% in 2025. Meanwhile, 31% expressed an unfavourable opinion—the highest negative rating recorded among Indian respondents since Pew began tracking public opinion on the US in 2002.
Confidence in Trump also dropped significantly, with just 39% of Indians saying they trust him to do the right thing in world affairs, compared with 52% a year ago.
Opposition to Trump's Foreign and Domestic Policies
According to the Pew survey, Indian respondents expressed low levels of support for several of Trump's key policies.
Only 32% backed his immigration policies, while 28% approved of his approach towards Iran. Support for Trump's handling of Venezuela was even lower at 17%.
The survey also found limited approval for Trump's decision to shut down international aid agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as his handling of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
How Views of the US Have Changed Over Two Decades
The 2026 findings mark a sharp reversal in what had largely been two decades of favourable public opinion towards the United States.
According to historical Pew data, the US enjoyed a 71% favourability rating in India in 2005 despite the Iraq War. During George W. Bush's presidency, Indian confidence remained relatively high, with 55% expressing confidence in him even in 2008, when his popularity had fallen sharply in many other countries.
Public opinion reached its highest point under Barack Obama. Favourability towards the US climbed to a record 76% in 2009, while Obama received confidence ratings of 77% in 2009 and 75% in 2015 among Indian respondents.
Joe Biden also began his presidency with relatively strong numbers. Confidence in Biden stood at 64% in 2023 before falling to 44% by the end of his presidency in 2024. US favourability similarly declined from 65% in 2023 to 51% in 2024.
Trump's Second Term Shows Different Trend
Trump's second term has followed a different trajectory from his first.
During his first term, confidence among Indians stood at 40% in 2017 before rising steadily to 56% by 2020. US favourability also improved from 49% in 2017 to 60% in 2020.
However, the latest survey indicates that the positive trend has reversed during his second term, with both confidence in the US president and overall favourability towards America declining sharply.
According to Pew Research Center, the 2026 survey was conducted through telephone, face-to-face and online interviews in partnership with three research institutions, including Gallup.
In India, 3,566 respondents were interviewed face-to-face in 13 languages. Pew noted that data for some years, including 2018 and 2021, is unavailable because fewer countries participated in those survey cycles.
