Gallup’s ‘year-end survey’ highlights stark contrast in sentiment across South Asia
Pakistani Rangers and Indian Border Security Force officers at the joint Pakistan-India check post at the Wagah border near Lahore. Photo: Reuters
A new survey found that Pakistanis entered 2026 with much higher expectations for economic prosperity and global peace compared to their Indian neighbors, defying global trends toward pessimism.
The Gallup International Association’s “Year-End Survey” highlights a stark contrast in sentiments across South Asia. While India shows higher overall hopes for the new year, Pakistan outperforms its eastern neighbor in key measures of economic confidence and expectations for a more peaceful world.
Economic outlook
On the specific issue of economic prosperity, Pakistan stands out regionally. The poll found that 53% of Pakistanis surveyed believe 2026 will bring economic prosperity, compared to just 39% in India. This confidence is particularly notable in the global context, where the global average for economic optimism sits at just 24%.
The survey also looked at the “net score” by subtracting the pessimists from the optimists.
In Pakistan, optimists outnumber fearful ones by 26 percentage points, while in India the lead is much smaller, with optimists outnumbering pessimists by just 13 points.
“Economic sentiment in Pakistan is significantly stronger than the global average and in India, despite widespread economic pessimism globally,” the report said.
Hope for peace
Pakistan’s optimism extends beyond the economy and also concerns global stability. The survey found that 52% of Pakistanis expect the world to become more peaceful in 2026, a stark contrast to just 26% of Indian respondents. While Pakistan remains firmly in positive territory (+31%), India slips into the negative, with pessimists outnumbering optimists by 9 points.
General hope
Despite Pakistan’s lead in economics and peace, India retains a general sense of stronger hope for the year ahead.
When asked if 2026 would be “better” than 2025, 59% of Indians said yes, compared to 51% of Pakistanis. However, Pakistan’s optimism still exceeds the global average of 37%, reflecting a resilient outlook.
Optimism factors
Pakistanis’ renewed optimism is largely due to younger demographics. Optimism is more concentrated among 18-34 year olds, while older groups are more cautious about the year ahead.
The report notes that this year’s figures represent one of the highest levels of optimism recorded since tracking began in 1994, comparable to peaks seen in the late 1990s and mid-2010s.
