A global Ipsos poll titled What Worries the World finds that Indians are most concerned about inflation, unemployment, education, crime and violence, and both financial and political corruption. At the same time, India is among the top five countries where a larger share of citizens say their nation is moving in the right direction.
Ipsos, which operates in 90 markets, ran the study across 29 countries. The report identifies Southeast Asia and India as the epicentre of global optimism, with relatively positive sentiment in Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Korea and Thailand. By contrast, respondents in 25 of the surveyed countries say their nations are on the wrong track; France and Peru report the lowest levels of optimism, at 9% and 13% respectively.
Suresh Ramalingam, CEO of Ipsos India, noted that worries about inflation, joblessness, education shortfalls, crime and corruption are driven by a mix of domestic pressures and global disruptions. The report points to significant upheavals in 2026, including a new conflict in West Asia. Rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have heightened energy and supply-chain strain, amplifying inflationary concerns and a sense of instability.
India’s comparatively upbeat outlook, the study says, reflects public confidence in the country’s resilience. Contributing factors include a neutral geopolitical stance and policy steps to blunt the effects of the global fuel crisis. Authorities have been diversifying oil import sources to reduce supply risks and bolster energy security.
The survey was conducted from late February to early March, before additional escalation observed in mid-March. Ipsos also warns that the Indian sample is skewed toward urban, more educated and more affluent respondents, covering a large subset of urban adults across socioeconomic classes A, B and C in metros and tier 1–3 towns across four zones. Weighting was applied to better align the results with the adult population according to the latest census data.
