Pew Survey reveals deep mistrust between Indians and Pakistanis

A recent Pew Research Center survey has documented persistent deep mistrust between citizens of India and Pakistan, nearly 80 years after independence. According to the findings, 73% of Pakistanis hold highly negative views of India, with another 18% somewhat negative. Similarly, 65% of Indians hold highly negative views of Pakistan, with 16% somewhat negative.

The survey was conducted between February-April 2026 across 3,566 Indian adults in 13 Indian languages, and between 8 April and 7 May 2026 among 1,039 Pakistani adults in five Pakistani languages. Historical Pew surveys since 2013 show this pattern is consistent, with fewer than 20% of Indians ever expressing favourable views of Pakistan, while Pakistani sentiment has ranged from single digits to 33% positive.

The data underscores that mutual suspicion between the two nations has remained entrenched over the past decade, with most citizens trusting only their own country.