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Young Indians have expressed strong support for Operation Sindoor, backed a tougher stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, and identified the Middle East as a major driver of India's future economic and strategic growth, according to the latest Foreign Policy Survey 2025 released by the Observer Research Foundation on Wednesday.
The survey, titled Foreign Policy Survey 2025: Young India and the Middle East, was conducted across 19 Indian cities between October 8 and November 26, 2025, and gathered responses from over 5,000 Indians aged 18 to 35. The report found that support for India's foreign policy among urban youth remains "very high", with respondents continuing to favour engagement through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations. According to the report, a key finding of the survey was the strong endorsement among young Indians for India's decisive retaliatory action against cross-border terrorism through Operation Sindoor and the government's response towards Pakistan following the terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that took place on April 22, 2025, which led to the death of 26 people. The report stated that India's urban youth believe that Operation Sindoor and the global outreach campaign carried out by all-party delegations across the world constituted an effective response to Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism, also noting that young Indians support the government's decision to keep the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance following the attack. Respondents identified cross-border terrorism from Pakistan and border tensions with China as two of the biggest national security challenges facing India. The report further highlighted growing support among Indian youth for reforms in the United Nations Security Council, including India's inclusion as a permanent member. Young Indians also expressed confidence in BRICS as an alternative to the West-led global system. At the same time, the survey reflected changing perceptions regarding India's international partnerships. While the United States had emerged as one of India's most trusted partners in previous editions, support for the US declined significantly this year. Russia and Japan were instead rated among India's most reliable partners by respondents. The survey also underlined the increasing importance of the Middle East in India's foreign policy and economic ambitions. According to the findings, Indian youth believe New Delhi's participation in initiatives such as IMEEC and I2U2 is essential for strengthening cooperation in the region. Respondents viewed Middle Eastern cities as rapidly emerging centres of economic growth and technological innovation and recognised the Indian diaspora in the region as a major contributor to regional development. The United Arab Emirates emerged as one of the most positively viewed countries in the Middle East among respondents. The report included a dedicated "UAE Spotlight" section focusing on the India-UAE relationship, with respondents expressing strong support for closer economic cooperation and the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. According to the survey, young Indians believe cooperation with the UAE can play a major role in driving India's economic growth and prosperity. Since its launch in 2021, the ORF Foreign Policy Survey has tracked the views of young Indians on key global developments and India's evolving role in world affairs. Previous editions focused on themes including the COVID-19 pandemic, 75 years of India's independence, multilateralism, and the China challenge. (ANI)
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