Urban India Optimistic, Low Worry Levels For Inflation, Unemployment, Terrorism: Report
At 64% (two in three Indians), a global survey has placed India fourth in terms of optimism after Singapore (81%), Indonesia (70%), and Malaysia (67%)
India has shown high optimism with worry levels dipping for inflation, unemployment, and terrorism, a survey has shown. But education has become a rising concern – be it due to US President Donald Trump's tough stance on immigration or students returning home following the Iran-Israel conflict.
According to Ipsos 'What Worries the World June 2025 Wave', India was placed fourth in terms of optimism. The survey reported that there is high optimism among urban Indians regarding the country's trajectory.
The Ipsos report states that two in three Indians (64%) believe that India is headed in the right direction. India trails only Singapore (81%), Indonesia (70%), and Malaysia (67%), where citizens expressed even greater confidence in their countries' paths.
In contrast, 24 out of the 30 markets surveyed reflected a gloomy outlook, with 63 per cent of citizens believing their country is on the wrong track.
The 'What Worries the World' survey tracks public opinion on the most important social and political issues across 30 countries month on month, drawing on over 10 years of data to place the latest scores in context.
Adarkar said amid rising geopolitical tensions, optimism among Indians can be the result of the central government and armed forces working together to mitigate external threats and safeguard national interests. Bold initiatives – case in point, Operation Sindoor – have demonstrated strategic clarity and operational readiness.
On the economic front, Adarkar said, the Reserve Bank of India has taken key macroeconomic measures, including interest rate reductions, to support growth and stability. The Centre has kept a close watch on fuel prices and inflation, sourcing resources more efficiently to cushion the impact on citizens.
'Together, these measures have reinforced public confidence and positioned the country to weather global uncertainties with determination and foresight," Adarkar said.
WHAT IS INDIA WORRIED ABOUT?
Education has surfaced among the top three worries of Indians. This can be a result of Indian students returning home from conflict-ridden countries or even Trump's immigration and deportment policies, Adarkar said.
'The escalation of conflict between Iran and Israel prompted the Indian government to launch Operation Sindhu, aimed at evacuating Indian families, including a large number of students, from the affected region. While the operation was swift and effective, it has disrupted the academic progress and future plans of many students, raising concerns around education. Earlier, Trump's tough policies on immigration and deportment had caused anxiety among students," Adarkar said.
The survey further shows that citizens in other countries, meanwhile, continue to grapple with deep anxiety over rising crime and violence, persistent inflation, poverty, and widening social inequality. Much of this unrest stems from the prolonged conflicts in Gaza, Iran, and Ukraine, as well as the broader effects of the global economic slowdown.
First Published:
July 03, 2025, 18:22 IST
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There had been earlier indicators of change beginning with President Trump's acknowledgement of Pakistan's counter-terrorism assistance in his State of the Union Address in March 2025. The allocation of a significant financial package as assistance to Pakistan for maintaining its F16 aircraft despite an otherwise stringent foreign aid cutback, was another. Alongside, more even-handed references to the India-Pakistan dynamic, meetings and telephone conversations between the US secretary of State and senior Pakistan leaders further underlined this shift. The announcement of a US-Pakistan Trade Agreement, albeit with a 19% tariff on imports from Pakistan, and Trump's enthusiastic references to hydrocarbon exploration and investment, are but the latest in this trend. The trade agreement may not be the best deal Pakistan could have got, but it is not as bad as could have been, and in any case some deal was better than no deal as far as the government of Pakistan was concerned. 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