A new BBC World poll says that people in the Philippines, South Korea, France, Finland and Brazil think India is a negative influence on the world (via Style Station).
Pakistan was not polled. On the other hand, Iran, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the UK and Russia rate India highly. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the African countries polled are most neutral about India, while Sri Lanka and India are most neutral about the U.S.
Though India’s global profile has grown significantly over the last year, it fails to elicit strong feelings… The exceptions are two Muslim countries with positive views: Iran (71% positive) and Afghanistan (59% positive). The only country with widespread negative views is the Philippines (57% negative). Notably, India’s small neighbor Sri Lanka has a mere 4 percent reporting negative views and a robust 49 percent expressing a positive one.
Europeans are divided about India. At the positive end of the spectrum is Great Britain (49% positive, 30% negative) and Russia (47% positive, 10% negative), while at the other end are France and Finland–both being 27 percent positive and 44 percent negative. The US leans slightly positively (39% positive, 35% negative). [Link]
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p>India has the strange distinction of being most loved by the most hated, Iran. Forty-three percent of the Indians polled seemed only lukewarm about their own country:
Interestingly, Indians themselves are the most tepid or modest in their self-estimates. While in most countries a large majority give their country a positive rating, among Indians only 47 percent give India a positive rating, but only 10 percent give it a negative rating. [Link]
The Philippines and Brazil are economic competitors of India. The others are more puzzling: South Korea is an economic partner, France has long-standing cultural ties to India, and the Finns might enjoy the weather 
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p>Globally, the most disliked countries are Iran, the U.S. and Russia. The African countries polled and some where the U.S. assisted against political repression (Poland, Afghanistan) are the most appreciative of the U.S.
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p>Style Station points out that the sample sizes (and, for that matter, the methodologies) vary widely across countries, so take the poll with a grain of salt.
Here’s the source and methodology.
Update: The Unlawyer and Alok provide a possible answer: Indian money lenders who overstay their visas in the Philippines, provide loans at high interest rates and are then extorted by corrupt immigration police.
Rep. Imee Marcos of Ilocos Norte, vice chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, criticized the Bureau of Immigration on Thursday for going after Indians behind the so-called 5-6 usury system…Marcos said that even if the 5-6 system imposes an interest rate on borrowers beyond the limit set by law, poor Filipinos have been able to set up small businesses because of the illegal loans…
“Instead of helping these Indians whom we commonly refer to as ‘Bombays,’ having been in our communities a long time now, these scoundrels [immigration officials] are scaring them stiff,” Marcos said… the SIRV has instead become an instrument through which unscrupulous immigration-police syndicate members victimize Indians… “These Indians are often apprehended but never jailed . . . they are constantly milked of their earnings,” Marcos said. [Link]
Related post: The Global Popularity Contest
One of the reason of the results:
a) Afghanistan: A lot of reconstruction is done through Indians, and ofcourse Bollywood b) Iran: Sees India as a major business partner for gas. Bollywood again.
Maybe, no Bollywood influence in Brazil, South Korea.
The poll is not that scientific but it is an interesting read
WOW at least we are being noticed bad or good…. Hazaaro aye Haazaro ne loota Kuch toh baat hai ki hasti mithi nahi hamari…
I really like some of the recent pieces posted on SM. This one is something I could get my parents into and the state of the union stuff is highly ‘forwardable’ Keep it up!
it is because of indian foreign policy of course. Why do they hate us, the Indians should ask. There must be a good reason for someone to dislike you if they voice their dislike. this is a rule.
trying hard not to pooh-pooh
The sample size isn’t even the same, 1000 people in a country of millions, the areas aren’t even the same and the body conducting the survey isn’t even the same….how can anything really be worth any weight with all those givens?
India should look at this data seriously and not get pressurised from US and abstain from the IAEA vote. I dont understand why Indian foreign policy wont be more positive towards Iran. As opposed to Saudi Arabia, Iran does allow other religions to practice their religion. Read this Kevin Sites report from Iran about Armenian Christian and some Jewish community in Iran
In the Countries’ Influence in the World poll, why is Europe considered a country? And for that matter, why aren’t Asia and Africa considered “countries” also? I’ll tell you why — these polls are always devised with bias, and in this case it is biased towards the country/continent of the poll’s devisers.
it’s probably because philippinos and brazilians regard india as a peer … kinship breeds contempt …
the relationship with iran and afghanistan is of course a matter of tradition.. i was surprised by the relatively low score from iraq tho’
Apart from Bollywood factor and trade, India has hosted a sizable student body from these countries (Iraninans in particular). On the political front Indians have stayed away from the Axis-of-evil rhetoric.
Some more filters…..
1 Nuclear (weapons) (or Noo-ki-lar) v/s non-nuclear filter and you have…
Brazil, Phillipines, Finland and South Korea are fairly prosperous (or emerging) countries but dont have nukes like Indians.
Christian v/s Non-Christian …
I agree.
Echoing Janeofalltrades, I have serious misgivings about the methodology. On the other hand, while some of the responses make intuitive sense, others are puzzling. For example, while it isnt surprising that Iranians have a positive view of Indians (longstanding cultural/civilizational ties notwithstanding the bollywood appeal), its odd that the Phillipines does. I grew up in the Middle East and since there are plenty of both who live and work there, there is much intermarriage and interaction between the two and a shared sort of “us vs. them” experience, where “us” refers to the expats. That result was truly odd. Re: the finns – I’m stumped!
That’s so strange. Traveling in France, I always got the impression that Indian culture was pretty “hot” there esp compared to Chinese. You see indian influences in ads on TV, popularity of Indian restaurants, availability of Indian music/movies in large stores etc. Dunno about this poll, though.
I wonder what the statistics for China are?
I also think that India damaged its political reputation in the West enormously by being “non-aligned” during the Cold war. It ended up being “na ghar kaa na ghat kaa” i.e. neither here nor there, which was perceived by the West as being as bad as the Soviet bloc, if not worse.
Anyway, yes to more Bollywood diplomacy!!!!
Tom,
Also, Hamid Karzai (President, Afghanistan) has a degree from India, and spent 4 years there.
Some of the Iranian-American friends I have, they love to talk about Bollywood. One of them asked in our first meeting, “Are you related to Raveena Tandon?” I said, “Yes, She is my fiancee’. Same with Russians.
Damn Manish,
I know the Filipinos hate us, but do we need to be incorporating derogatory puns into our posts now? FLIP: Funny Lil Island Person. Haha; I hadn’t even noticed it until I showed this to my Filipino friend Los, who took umbrage. I’m sure it was unintentional racism.
Most of it wasnt a surprise, sort of sits well with my observations The only exception was south korea, i’d want to learn more about that. Any one been to korea. Phillipines i am not surprised at all by. i have been there and every other person after learning i was from india wanted to challenge was my idoltorous hindu religion. i dont know the root of neurosis created about changing other peoples view almost as bad as a couple of kids in highschool who tried that with me, but here every 3rd person was doing that. Iran i’d visit and see for my self some times in 08/09 yazd and mashad are top of my list. Afghanistan I’m pretty sure is a reactionary stance i wouldnt put too much weight into that, they were used by pakistani ISI and want india as a counterweight. Iran is more complex. I’ve met ~8 iranians in india, not parsis but iranian traveleres students in india and they usualy very well overwhelmingly positive. Granted some one with a negative view wouldnt bother coming to india in the first place.
and Kush i disagree about bollywood. That may turn some one into an india hater. The only indian media worth watching are the news and cnbc india(beamed to us via echostar satelites with a lousy name southasiaworld)
“they were used by pakistani ISI and want india as a counterweight.”
that is true. it has always been the case.
i have pakistani’s wanted taliban in afganistan to keep one of the borders friendly.
Hadn’t noticed, fixed.
I find the white gaps (presumably meaning not leaning one way or the other) intriguing. I guess most of Africa simply does not care about India. Or, maybe worse, vice versa.
Manish, although the S. Koreans don’t like India much, I find it very very strange that they like the US lesser.
Also, the French are more likely to thing India is a positive influence than the US. Although the differece is probably too small and subject to sampling error.
Shout out to the Iranians on campus. I hope the hotties will read this and start dating me.
“I find it very very strange that they like the US lesser”
DDIA, South Koreans have a very strong love-hate relationship with America.
USA has been very important to them and vice-versa. Young S. Koreans are very “Americanized”, however, they openly “dislike” America but still are attached.
GGK, I hope you were joking about Bollywood. People in many other countries do actually like it, seriously. I remember reading this Amir Khan interview when he was filming parts of “The Rising” in Tajikstan, about the recognition he got there. It was amazing. Several of my East European colleagues (Romanian, Russian etc) regularly borrow out of my Bollywood collection.
Your point about filipinos was interesting, I didn’t know they were so rabidly Christian. I wonder if that’s the same reason for South Korea, since evangelical Christianity has gained such huge following there.
Many Chinese/Koreans that I know are pretty apathetic/ignorant towards India, some have some really snooty views about Indians. Still, I wonder about South Korea…
True, Iran and India have enjoyed warm relations, both in the Shah days and after the Khomeini revolution. On a people-to-people level, many Iranians study in India. Young Iranians, flush with oil money, enjoy spending vacations in Goa. Both nations, along with Russia, supported the Northern Alliance againt the Taliban in the nineties – at a time when the U.S. could not care less about the region.
But, Iran presents a challenge for any country, but especially for India. Iranian “democracy” is largely limited to mullah-approved candidates, unlike India. The unaccountable internal security services are brutal. It’s support of Hezbollah puts India in an odd position vis a vis Israel, with whom it is enjoying improved relations. Of course, Israel’s substantial weapon sales to China don’t help, for which it was punished by American sanctions.
India has turned down Iran before. When it started its pursuit of nuclear weapons, it approached New Delhi and was turned away. It had much better luck with Pakistan.
In the U.S., I would say from my extremly limited interactions that Iranians know more about India than the reverse. But alot of that is pop culture.
“since evangelical Christianity has gained such huge following there.”
Christianity is still ~ 50% in S. Korea. However, they are deeply Confucian and Buddhist frame of mind in their thought, living, and culture. It is like Japan – shintoism is very much in their thought process irrespective of their present faith.
PS: Razib will provide the link. I am too lazy.
Philippines doesnÂ’t surprise me – There is a perception about Filipinos that they are a wannabe western country and that ‘IndiansÂ’ arenÂ’t just cool enough for them.
South Korea – Is there anybody they like or look favorably too?
Brazil – This is a stunner. There is hardly any Indian diaspora in Brazil. Most people I have met know that its a far off country with a ‘unique’ culture. But never heard anything bad. So I am still puzzled by this one.
France – This is a given. They are too cool to admit that they are thinking anything but French. Look at all the recent commotion over Mittal’s ethnicity in regard to the Acelor bid.
At the end of the day India is culturally very polarized and you are always goiong to have lovers and haters.
And most americans unfortunately even Indian-American know little about Iran and continue the Bush administation’s “Iran is evil” line of thinking.
Bush in the SOTU:
Here is a rebuttal from Institute of Public Accuracy
General American response to anything Iran is … “Evil” … because Bush said so.
Maybe ….BUT they have their own Pat Robertson link 😉
I stand corrected as always:
From http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ks.html no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, other 1%
I think South Korea being critical of India – as pointed out earlier – they are critical of everyone, like French, but with a different flavor.All the South Koreans I know show their Confucian culture first, and then their distinct religous affilation later (if any).
Tata bought the trucking division of Daewoo last year. That might be the reason for negative views of Indian influence.
RC,
DonÂ’t you think itÂ’s a bit much to expect Bush to apologize for the CIAÂ’s actions when he was just a kid at the time? The Iranian hostage crisis and Hezbollah blowing up 200 Marines in Lebanon was far more recent – should this allow America to view Iran with suspicion in perpetuity? Considering that Reagan sold them weapons to try and free hostages, it seems that the U.S. has tried different approaches in dealing with Iran.
Second, a majority of the Iranian population was born after 1979, and has no memory of life under the Shah or SAVAK. In “Beyond Belief”, Naipaul interviews a Tehran-based newspaper editor (originally from India), who recounted the horrors and mass executions that began once Khomeini came to power, with a speed and bloody-mindedness that left the Shah in the dust.
Indeed, Bush’s emphasis on democracy in the Middle East is a rejection of what had been the bipartisan practice since WWII – stability was more important above all else. Considering that elections has brought us a Shiite-cleric approved party in Iraq, Hamas in the Palestinian territories, and Ahmendajad in Iran – guys like Hosni Mubarak don’t seem that bad.
And for all the complaints made about American support for Middle Eastern despots – keep in mind that democracy did not blossom in those countries that were antagonistic to Washington (Libya, Syria, etc).
But to return to India – India was on the losing side of the Cold War. It needs to make sure it does not support another loser.
I never said Bush should apologize for anything. Just wanted to point out that US acts with its commercial and empiri-cal (I just made up that word) interest in the region and thats fine with me. Just dont claim moral superiority. Shi-ite this and that … God !!! America is the only country that can bomb innocent civilians and still claim moral superiority. (case in point Fallujah, Iraq)
“America is the only country that can bomb innocent civilians and still claim moral superiority”
As opposed to all those nations that engage in warfare, and say they are awful people for doing so? Claiming the moral high-ground in warfare goes back to Athens vs. Sparta, it is not neither an American invention or monopoly.
I love this photo of an Indian with the flag painted on each cheek (from this article).
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4676304.stm
Interestingly, Indians themselves are the most tepid or modest in their self-estimates
BBC World Service Poll
Hmm!!!
Because they hate freedom, of course.
Ennis, that is very likely a snap taken in the stands at a cricket match. Nowhere else does patriotism manifest itself so boldly and so universally in India in times of peace.
As for Indians being tepid, I think most of us would not want to go about jinxing the nation’s success by blabbing it out to BBC correspondents. Like my momma sez: “Yes ,yes, the other A’s are all right. But you could have done better in Algebra, beta. A- means there’s room for improvement, no?”
Coyly tracing arabesques on the floor with my toe
Actually, my momma does not say that. Sorry.
Hey all,Kee haal chaal! ..yeah i worked in S.Korea in the 90s, for POSCO(biggest Iron and Steel chaebol)Luckily Mittal Uncle wasn’t around then to stir any extra statistical bias, but i found the koreans to be mostly neutral about us Indo saraam.But boy they do love to hate the US, for everything from chewing gum to cancer(well,the yankee soldiers started our addiction to gum and cigarettes,innit? they used to say). i remember korean teenagers in bruce springteen’s born in the usa t-shirts,Snoop Dogg and CypressHill tshirts protesting outside the American embassy .surreal. i went there directly after finishing my bachelor’s in the USofA,and was the only non-white out of the 30+ new hires.Even though the people were very very inquisitive,all inquiries were America related…. even from people who knew i was born in India, wheatish complexion and all,hyuk hyuk! They do consider India a threat/competitor in the tech arena,but in those days they were just fixated on doing better than the Japanese.i remember something about Samsung(mebbe) putting posters in offices that said BMW,but not Bavarian Motor Whatchamacallit but for ‘Beat Matsushita Whatever’.The korean customs officer did not let me transport a Katana Japanese sword back into korea from Japan..since thousands of koreans were killed using those by Japanese soldiers during occupation.I shoulda known about that, but i didnt,that was totally my bad,but what’s hilarious is that it sorta turned into a desi situation..i had to pay to store the Sword at the port where i was re-entering korea,Pusaan.they offered to send it to Seoul,whenever i was leaving the country,but not before the customs guy actually phoned me for a tip/gratuity/mordidas.We worked it out and he was there at the Seoul airport in person w/ the dang talwar when i left korea for good. It was a great great 18 month experience… some interesting facts: we( hum firangi) were surprised to find that the average korean company-man has NEVER told his wife ‘i love you’! They would expressly forbid their daughter from marrying an american(unless your daughter is a prostitute serving(?)/servicing American army-base guys.Apparently Billy Joe Bob from west virginny IS a catch,after all;) If u boom drives at the golf range,they all ooh and aah and then attribute it to the steroids in American meat.If u beat them at baddy or raquetball they call your Jatt squash style ‘unrefined’,and want to play on till they can beat you.As i write this,i am realizing that they were pretty competitve f*ckers.They totally see india as a rising asian tiger. Do not get into drinking competitions with korean colleagues individually.Establish early on that if You drink a shot of soju,Everbody does a shot of Soju.Good luck. Their food is awesome,spicy like desi food,but more bad-breathy than our achaar. And they dont have supari 😉 Their gatorade is called pocari sweat. American soldiers in Pohang smoke copious amounts of bhaang cuz it grows freely around some beaches.I never asked if they were ever tested or what.neki aur poochh poochh. that reminds me,i have the dave chappelle/oprah interview on the DVR(Divoed?)..so i’m gonna do an eats,shoots..and leaves.ciao~
Only the poor can appreciate each other.
and yes the French hate everyone else.
Its a semi serious point. No i dont like bollywood. I do like some work coming out of || cinema(ie parallel) and some Indian TV shows(travel and standup comedy show).
Iran and Indian relations were not good in the Shah’s days, especialy after the bangladesh war. Iranians both in 65 and 71 gave pakistan military support. In 71 they along with jordan loaned pakistan starfighters.
haha. maybe this is why indians arent held in high esteem.
Bollywood shine leads to women doing time By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
Indonesians’ obsession with Bollywood and their stars has been cited as the primary cause for Indonesians landing in UAE jails, a senior consulate official said.
Thirty-six Indonesian women are currently in jail, serving their sentence for illicit relationships. The number accounts for more than half of Indonesians in jail.
A senior Indonesian consulate officer, who spoke to Gulf News on condition of anonymity, said the women, who worked as maids in the UAE were usually from rural areas and uneducated.
Calling them naïve, he said they were often victims of their sheltered upbringing.
“We have 10 television channels in Indonesia and they show Bollywood movies at least twice a week. These women grew up watching and loving these handsome Indian actors,” he said.
He added when the women arrived in the UAE, home to more than a million South Asians, they became star struck and overfriendly with good looking men of South Asian origin who would chat them up.
“If a cat is given meat, wouldn’t the cat take it?” he said, quoting a familiar Indonesian phrase.
He said in some cases, the women would allow the men to enter the house where they work, at which point the employer would report them to the police.
Other offences that Indonesians are serving time for include immigration violations and theft.
hahaha. i love the quote “If a cat is given meat, wouldn’t the cat take it?”. i know you do too.
I didnt know this. Are you sure about it? But assuming it to be true, I can now understand why Indian foreign service establishment is not so giddy about getting up and embracing the Iranians.
Rediff had this article from an ex-Ambassador to Iran, where he mentions how Iran helped India killing an OIC resolution on Kashmir at the request of then PM PV Narsimharao.
All the points about sample size, daft country definitions and bias are justified.
But! It still makes me feel good being:
A European (the most positive country) A Brit (we like Indians more than Americans do) On an American website (no one likes you. Oh Nigeria and India-disliking Filipinos do)
Hoho. I’m just yanking your collective cranks, don’t take offence.
RC if u have access to time archives, check out articles and goldwaters and bush sr role in that war. It was more interesting than nixie,kissie banality check this out http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=10683
I stand corrected as always:
kush, the koreans are 50% christian number is out there. world almanac uses it often. it is because they are 50% of religious people, but since only 1/2 of people are religiously identified, they are actually 25%.
“kush, the koreans are 50% christian number is out there. “
I had myself read about it too and how it was linked to their nationalist struggle.
but for alamanac type stuff, I tend go to CIA factsheet website, and intend to believe them – they must get something right, after all. all this funding………..
but for alamanac type stuff, I tend go to CIA factsheet website, and intend to believe them – they must get something right, after all. all this funding………..
the factsheet is right, they get the numbers from THE KOREA HANDBOOK, which is the primary source for most of this data and draws on the 1995 “social statistics survey.”
BBC’s negative spin–> World ‘lukewarm to India’s role’ vs. TOI’s overly positive one –> Now, the world too looks up to India
GGK,
I found this little nugget in the link you mentioned:
un-freaking-believable as usual.
Oops screwed up the cut and paste : This is the nugget I am talking about from some de-classified Nixon era stuff :
I’d hardly say it was a negative spin OYBBB – I find it odd that the piece that manish linked was all about India. Another article on the BBC website centres on Iran, referring to the same poll, but no other countries have entire pieces devoted to them. It doesn’t say who wrote the articles, but they’re both a bit meh. Why is it “interesting” that Sri Lanka views India favourably? I could’ve told you that for free.
As people have said, the numbers involved in this exercise make it completely pointless, just a bit of fun. But yep OYBBB, the ToI’s take is quite amusing!