India ranks fourth globally, with 62% saying the country is on the right track
NEW DELHI (India CSR): The December edition of Ipsos Global Advisor’s What Worries the World—a monthly survey across 30 countries—reveals widespread pessimism about national prospects. In 23 of the 30 markets surveyed, a majority of citizens believe their country is headed in the wrong direction.India stands in sharp contrast to this global sentiment. Ranked fourth among the most optimistic nations, nearly six in ten Indians (62%) believe the country is moving in the right direction, reflecting a three-percentage-point increase in optimism, over the previous month.
Notably, all seven optimistic markets are from the Global South—Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Argentina, and Thailand—underscoring the emergence of a new axis of global growth.
At the other end of the spectrum, France emerged as the most pessimistic market, with only one in ten citizens expressing optimism about the country’s future.
Elaborating on the survey findings, Suresh Ramalingam, CEO, Ipsos India, said:
“India has navigated an exceptionally challenging year marked by multiple global headwinds—ongoing geopolitical conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, a slowing global economy, trade uncertainties such as tariff pressures, and widespread job losses with downstream effects on inflation and employment.
Despite these pressures, optimism in India has risen by three percentage points in December, placing the country fourth globally in perceptions of being on the right track. This resilience reflects India’s continued focus on strengthening its domestic economy, which has helped cushion the impact of global disruptions. In addition, India’s demographic dividend continues to support economic momentum.
India is also demonstrating a balanced global posture—leveraging both hard and soft power—by prioritising peace and extending support where needed, reinforcing its role as a stable and responsible global player.”
India grapples with inflation and global citizens worry about crime and violence.
“In December, inflation and unemployment emerged as the top concerns for Indians, followed by education, terrorism, and political and financial stability. Developments in global immigration policy—particularly more restrictive measures affecting H-1B visas—have also tempered aspirations among Indians seeking education and employment opportunities in the United States.
At the same time, recent security incidents have heightened public awareness of vulnerabilities, reinforcing the importance citizens place on safety and national security,” added Ramalingam.
India’s worries
Global Worries
Global citizens continue to express concern about rising crime and violence, driven by ongoing conflicts, persistent inflationary pressures, and their broader social consequences.
This 30-country Global Advisor survey was conducted between November 21st 2025 and December 5th 2025 via the Ipsos Online Panel system among 500 adults aged 18-74 in Canada, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye and the United States, 20-74 in Indonesia and Thailand, 21-74 in Singapore, and 16-74 in all other nations.
The “Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the population size of each country and is not intended to suggest a total result.”
The sample consists of approximately 1000+ individuals in each of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the US, and approximately 500+ individuals in each of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Türkiye.
The samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the US can be taken as representative of these countries’ general adult population under the age of 75. The samples in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Türkiye are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than the general population. The survey results for these markets should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of these populations.
India’s sample represents a large subset of its urban population — social economic classes A, B and C in metros and tier 1-3 town classes across all four zones. Weighting has been employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to the most recent census data. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website. Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of don’t knows or not stated responses The publication of these findings abides by local rules and regulations.
(India CSR)
