Majority of Indians And Pakistanis Pessimistic About Near-Future Reconciliation, Survey Reveals

More than 60% of Indians and over half of all Pakistanis surveyed believe that friendly relations between the two countries are unlikely in this decade.

This finding comes from a new survey by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR)-C Voter, which examined the attitudes of Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis on various political, economic, and foreign policy issues.

The survey reached out to approximately 1,00,000 respondents, with 12,000 completing the survey across the three nations.

In contrast, earlier surveys conducted in 2011 and 2013 showed much higher optimism for reconciliation in the subcontinent.

For instance, the 2011 ‘Aman ki Asha (Hope for Peace)’ poll indicated that two-thirds of those surveyed in both countries believed that peace was “attainable in their lifetimes,” marking a 35% increase in optimism compared to the 2011 survey.

The survey reveals that 48% of Indians, compared to 31% of Pakistanis, would support a "reversal" of the conditions created by the 1947 Partition.

However, 62% of Indians believe that India and Pakistan becoming friendly in the near future is unlikely, with only 28% considering it likely. On the other hand, 52% of Pakistani respondents think it is unlikely, while 38% believe it is possible.