India-Pakistan relations: Pew Research survey reveals mutual distrust and negative perceptions

Even after almost 80 years of independence of India and Pakistan, negative thoughts about each other prevail among the common people and both the countries consider each other as their biggest enemy.

This has come to light in the recently released global behavior survey of American think tank Pew Research, in which people's perceptions, opinions and beliefs have been measured.

91 percent of Pakistani adults who participated in the survey had unfavorable opinion about India. Whereas in India, the adults surveyed who had negative opinion about Pakistan were 78 percent.

Pew Research has also stated in its survey report that the same attitude of India and Pakistan has been visible in the surveys of the last decade.

Distrust of each other's intentions to build good bilateral relations

Regarding the Indian government, 57% of Indians consider their government to be committed, while 65% of Pakistanis do not consider India to be committed.

Regarding the Pakistan government, 51% Indians do not consider Pakistan committed, while 61% Pakistanis consider their government committed.

Different opinions regarding world order in both countries

45% Indians are positive about America, while only 15% Pakistanis think so.

Only 23% Indians have a good opinion about China, while 90% Pakistanis have a good opinion.

58% Indians have a good opinion about Russia, while only 39% Pakistanis think so.

This survey of Pew Research Center was conducted on the basis of face to face interviews with 3,566 Indian adults during February-April 2026.

In Pakistan, this survey was conducted with the same methodology from 1,039 adults between April 8 and May 7, 2026.

Why lack of mutual trust?

BBC News Hindi spoke to senior and well-known political journalist Vinod Sharma regarding the results of this survey.

Vinod Sharma said, "There was a time when anti-India sentiments were very high in Pakistan. There was an aspiration in our country that we should repair relations. The thing is that there was once a strong lobby, which was 'Peace with Pakistan'."

“That lobby has now become weak or invisible. Because the generation of people who left their position is almost finished and the new generation has been taught something else about Pakistan.”

At the same time, former BBC Urdu journalist Saqlain Imam believes that people of both the countries hesitate in expressing their true opinions in public.

Saqlain says, "If you go to any school, college, youth group or professional group, most of the people there will speak the same narrative or have the same opinion as the state."

efforts to improve relationships

This survey also revealed that people of both the countries believe that their government is committed to building good relations with their neighbour, but the government of the other country does not want this.

Journalist Saqlain Imam says that Pakistanis are advocates of starting trade between the two countries. He believes that for economic progress it is necessary to increase dialogue and trade.

India-Pakistan's stance regarding China

According to the survey, there is negativity towards China in India and it is seen as a threat. 21 percent of the Indians surveyed considered China to be the biggest threat.

Whereas 75 percent of the Pakistanis surveyed described China as their most important ally.

How India-Pakistan relations deteriorated

1999: PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Lahore.

2001: Attack on Indian Parliament.

2008: Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

2016: Terrorist attack on Pathankot airbase.

2025: Tension and military confrontation increased after the extremist attack in Pahalgam.