A Pew Research Center study examining public attitudes across South Asia found that Sri Lanka enjoys more positive than negative perceptions across all surveyed neighboring countries, distinguishing it from other regional nations.
Sri Lanka has emerged as the most positively regarded country in South Asia, according to research by the Pew Research Center that surveyed public opinion across the region. The study, which included respondents from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, examined how citizens view their neighboring countries. Sri Lanka was the only nation surveyed to receive consistently favorable ratings from all three foreign publics, with at least half of respondents in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan holding positive views of the island nation, compared to a third or fewer expressing negative opinions.
Regional perceptions of other South Asian countries present a sharply different picture. While India receives overwhelmingly positive ratings within Sri Lanka, it faces far less favorable views in Pakistan and mixed assessments in Bangladesh. Pakistan similarly shows divided regional support, viewed positively by many in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but receiving very low favorability in India. Sri Lanka's distinct position suggests its ability to maintain constructive relationships across the region despite broader tensions between other South Asian nations.
The research indicates that Sri Lanka's regional standing has strengthened over time, with favorability among Indians rising by six percentage points since 2024. Within Sri Lanka itself, public sentiment toward India remains particularly strong, with 79% of respondents expressing positive views. A substantial majority of Sri Lankans, at 63%, identified India as the nation's most important ally. The Pew Research Center conducted the study between February and May 2026, interviewing 2,513 people in Sri Lanka, 3,566 in India, 1,044 in Bangladesh, and 1,039 in Pakistan.
