American favorability toward India declines amid H-1B visa scrutiny

American favorability toward India has declined significantly over the past two decades, according to new polling from the Pew Research Center. The survey found that 45 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of India, while 50 percent view the country unfavorably. This marks a notable drop from 64 percent favorability in 2008 and 51 percent in 2023.

The shift in sentiment is linked to increasing scrutiny of foreign-worker programs, specifically the H-1B visa program. Indian nationals constitute a large majority of H-1B recipients, with approximately 70 percent of incoming workers being Indian. Critics, including some Republican leaders, argue these programs allow companies to exploit cheap labor at the expense of American graduates.

Demographic data shows that skepticism is highest among younger Americans and Republicans. Only 42 percent of Republicans and those aged 18 to 29 view India favorably, compared to 50 percent of Democrats and 50 percent of adults aged 65 and older. This comes amid reports of high underemployment rates for recent U.S. college graduates, particularly in computer science.