Sri Lanka shows high favourability toward India and Bangladesh in Pew survey

A new survey by the Pew Research Center reveals varying levels of public sentiment regarding regional powers in South Asia, particularly highlighting Sri Lanka’s perceptions of India and Bangladesh.

In Sri Lanka, 79 percent of respondents expressed a favourable view of India, an increase from 65 percent in 2024. Approximately 63 percent of Sri Lankans identified India as a key ally, a sentiment attributed in part to India providing over USD 7.5 billion in financial aid and credit lines following Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis.

Regarding Bangladesh, the survey found that 56 percent of Sri Lankans hold a positive view of the nation. This sentiment is more favourable than that expressed in India, where only 25 percent of respondents reported a positive view of Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Pakistan recorded the highest positive rating for Bangladesh among the surveyed nations at 66 percent.