Young Indians distrust Chin Pakistan, trust US; rate Covi and economy as challenges
Foreign policy is considered the domain of the elite, and public opinion on international relations has rarely been documented in India. While there have been efforts to assess public opinion on foreign policy issues, they suffer from limitations due to scope, regularity, consistency, and methodology. There is a dearth of systematic data collection and analysis on how Indians feel about the government’s key foreign policy interventions, India’s relations with other countries, and major global developments.
When the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) first conceptualised the foreign policy survey last year, it aimed to build on the existing strand of polling research in India. The idea was to bridge the gap between policymakers and the public. As India frames policies to respond to the geopolitical realities of the 21st century, it must ensure that its policies reflect the will of its citizens. Since around 60% of the population comprises the young, the survey assessed the opinion and perceptions of this demographic.
In December 2020, the poll sampled 2,037 Indians aged 18-35 from 14 cities. It was administered in eight regional languages, and in English.
The urban youth had a positive assessment of the conduct of the country’s foreign policy, with 72% of respondents rating it as either very good or good. While a majority supported the government policies on China, Pakistan and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the policy with the least support was the government’s withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
This demographic felt that the biggest foreign policy challenges facing India were the pandemic, terrorism, the border conflict with China, the climate crisis, and border conflict with Pakistan, in that order. The high ranking of the pandemic is a reflection of the current global health crisis. In terms of foreign policy goal setting, strengthening the Indian economy received the highest priority at 89%, perhaps an acknowledgment of how far the pandemic has adversely affected the economy.
The survey responses on China and Pakistan are illuminating on how young urban dents displayed low levels of trust tow Pakistan, with only 10% displaying pos trust ratings. On China, there is a high lev concern regarding its rise as a global po its growing economic and military supe ity, as well as Beijing’s possible interferen India’s neighbourhood. The survey also fo that 62% were of the view that India sh abandon non-alignment in case of ri Us-china tensions.
Among major powers, China is the l trusted country (77% expressed distr while the United States (US) wa most trusted country (77% expre trust). Resultantly, the governm recent ban of Chinese mobile a received the highest level of endo ment (86%), followed by contro illegal immigration (74%), the B kot airstrike (68%) and strengt ing Quad (64%).
The urban youth displayed a level of awareness for older m lateral institutions such as United Nations (UN), and thre every four respondents (74%) that India’s quest for a perma seat at the UN Security Council a very important goal. Two-thir those surveyed said that they not heard of the Non-aligned M ment (NAM), surprising given NAM is connected to India’s his cal approach towards foreign policy.
The urban youth are deeply divided the impact of globalisation on India an economy, society, and culture, their stan of living, travel to and from other count and education opportunities overseas. W the opportunity to study abroad is vie positively, optimism regarding mo abroad is markedly much lower.
This poll has given both predictable unpredictable results, providing insights int understanding of Indian youth on critical is related to India’s foreign policy. This, and fu editions of the survey, will help policyma academics, researchers —and the public its understand and appreciate the importan democratising foreign policy in India.