Russia Assessed as Most Enduring Partner by Indian Youth, Far Above US: Foreign Policy Survey

Despite the concerns of the US and some European countries, New Delhi declined to follow sanctions imposed by the West against Russia in response to Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine. This has evoked praise from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great patriot."

Almost half of India's youth consider Russia to be the most reliable partner over the last 75 years, a foreign policy survey conducted by the ORF, India's most influential think tank, has suggested.

“The respondents named Russia as India’s most reliable partner since Independence (43 percent); the United States followed with 27 percent,” the ORF Foreign Policy Survey 2022: India @75 and the World said.

As per the survey, 66 percent of government officials had faith in Russia, describing Moscow as India’s most trusted partner.

Support for Russia increased with higher education: from 23 percent among those with primary education, to 53 percent of post-graduate respondents, the survey revealed.

Disaggregated by income, the positive view of Russia increased from 37 percent among those earning less than INR 10,000 ($121) per month, to 64 percent in those earning more than INR 80,000 ($970).

The Narendra Modi government has received massive support from urban youth on its foreign policy at a time of unprecedented geopolitical churning, as New Delhi has had to navigate its ties with Moscow skillfully.

“Urban Indian youth rated the country’s foreign policy positively: 25 percent graded it very good, and 52 percent, good. This is an increase from the 2021 survey report where 32 percent said it was very good, and 40 percent rated it good,” the survey said.

India’s urban youth chose the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) as the most beneficial for India’s pursuit of its global goals (26 percent).

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)—a grouping of the US, India, Japan, and Australia, trailed at a distant second, with 12 percent of respondents choosing it over other platforms.