Sri Lanka has emerged as the only country in a new Pew Research Center survey to receive more favourable than unfavourable views from respondents in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The survey, conducted between February 8 and May 7, 2026, questioned 3,566 people in India, 1,039 in Pakistan, 1,044 in Bangladesh and 2,513 in Sri Lanka.
Pakistanis gave Sri Lanka the strongest rating, with 57% viewing the country favourably, followed by Bangladesh at 54%. India's favourable view also increased by six percentage points from 2024.
The findings show sharp differences in attitudes towards India. While 79% of Sri Lankans viewed India positively and 70% expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, only 42% of Bangladeshis and 7% of Pakistanis held favourable views of India.
Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh also appear to be improving. Favourable views of Pakistan among Bangladeshis rose from 40% in 2024 to 54%, while 66% of Pakistanis viewed Bangladesh positively.
Sri Lankans' views of both countries have also improved, with favourable opinions of Pakistan rising to 57% and Bangladesh to 56%.
Age and religion influenced some responses. Younger adults generally expressed warmer views of neighbouring countries, while Indian Muslims were more likely than Hindus to view Pakistan and Bangladesh favourably.
Sri Lanka's broadly positive image across the region stands out amid South Asia's political rivalries, giving the country a rare level of goodwill among neighbouring populations.
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