Sri Lanka is the only South Asian country surveyed by the Pew Research Center to receive more favorable than unfavorable views from people in each of the other three countries surveyed, according to the Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey.
The survey examined how people in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh view their regional neighbors. Pew found that Sri Lanka enjoys broadly positive perceptions across the three other South Asian countries.
In Pakistan, 51% of adults expressed a favorable opinion of Sri Lanka, compared with 33% who held an unfavorable view.
In India, 49% viewed Sri Lanka favorably, while 20% expressed an unfavorable opinion.
Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, 47% of respondents had a favorable opinion of Sri Lanka, compared with 33% who viewed the country unfavorably.
Pew Research Center noted that roughly half of adults in each of the three countries surveyed view Sri Lanka positively, while the share expressing negative views remains at one-third or lower.
The findings highlight Sri Lanka's relatively positive image among its South Asian neighbors at a time when perceptions of other countries in the region vary considerably. For example, views of India differ sharply across the region, with Pakistanis expressing overwhelmingly negative views of India, while opinions in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are considerably more mixed.
The Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey was conducted across 36 countries, with interviews carried out between February 8 and May 13, 2026. The survey used a combination of telephone, face-to-face and online interviews, depending on the country.
