Sri Lanka has awarded India the highest favourability rating among all 36 countries surveyed in a new global study by the Washington-based Pew Research Center, with 79 per cent of Sri Lankan respondents expressing a positive view of India. The survey, conducted between February and May 2025 across more than 42,000 people, also found that a global median of 45 per cent held a favourable opinion of India.

Sri Lanka's Standout Score

Among all nations covered in the Pew study, Sri Lanka ranked first in positive perception of India. Only 11 per cent of Sri Lankan respondents viewed India negatively — a margin that underscores the depth of goodwill between the two neighbours. Separately, around 63 per cent of Sri Lankans identified India as a key ally for their country, according to local outlet Newswire Lanka, which first highlighted the findings.

The shift is notable: in 2024, just 65 per cent of Sri Lankan respondents held a favourable view of India. The 14-percentage-point jump within a year points to a measurable improvement in bilateral sentiment.

Why Sentiment Has Surged

The improved perception comes against the backdrop of India's substantial support during Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis — one of the worst financial collapses in the island nation's post-independence history. Amid widespread civil unrest and a foreign-exchange crunch, India extended credit lines and financial assistance worth more than USD 7.5 billion, becoming Colombo's most consequential external partner during the emergency.

According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, India's total assistance — including more than USD 850 million in grants — now spans all 25 districts of Sri Lanka, covering housing, healthcare, education, railways, energy, and livelihoods. Projects have been implemented using local materials and manpower, a design choice officials say has helped integrate the assistance into the local economy rather than bypassing it.

Scope of India's Development Partnership

India's people-oriented development footprint in Sri Lanka is described by the High Commission as one of the most important pillars of the bilateral relationship. The partnership prioritises capacity-building, human resource development, upliftment of marginalised communities, and infrastructure — from transport links to industrial development and livelihood support.

Officials note that projects are aligned with priorities set by the Sri Lankan government and its citizens, lending the assistance a demand-driven character that distinguishes it from conventional donor frameworks. The transparent implementation model has drawn appreciation both domestically in Sri Lanka and in diplomatic circles.

India's Global Standing in the Survey

Beyond Sri Lanka, the Pew Research Center survey recorded a global median favourability of 45 per cent for India across the 36 countries polled. While the report does not rank all countries individually, the breadth of the survey — spanning more than 42,000 respondents across multiple continents — gives the findings considerable weight as a barometer of India's international image.

This comes as India deepens its 'Neighbourhood First' foreign policy posture, and the Sri Lanka data point may reinforce New Delhi's argument that sustained economic engagement yields durable diplomatic goodwill. How India maintains this momentum — particularly as Sri Lanka continues its IMF-guided economic recovery — will be closely watched.