**A recent survey reveals that while optimism for India's future is rising among Indian Americans, fears regarding potential deterioration of US-India relations under another Trump administration are significant.**
**Concerns Grow Among Indian Americans Over Potential US-India Relations Under Trump**
**Concerns Grow Among Indian Americans Over Potential US-India Relations Under Trump**
**New survey indicates a mixed outlook for Indian Americans regarding US-India ties amid political polarization.**
Indian Americans are expressing a blend of optimism about India's trajectory and deep anxieties about the implications of a potential second Donald Trump administration, according to the latest 2024 Indian-American Survey. Conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace together with YouGov in October, the survey gauged political attitudes among the Indian-American community—over five million strong in the United States.
The survey's findings arrive on the heels of two consequential elections in both India and the US in the previous year and highlight the complexities of a relationship that has seen both progress and strain. Recent tensions have been sparked by allegations surrounding an indictment against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and a purported assassination plot linked to the Indian state on US soil.
Key insights were drawn from internet-based surveys with 1,206 adult Indian Americans, examining views on major figures in US politics, particularly Joe Biden and Trump, as well as India’s political landscape as it approaches the 2024 elections.
While Indian Americans rated President Biden's management of US-India relations favorably compared to Trump’s presidency, an important partisan divide emerged: while 66% of Indian-American Republicans favored Trump’s approach, a mere 8% of Democrats shared this view. Notably, more than half of Indian-American Democrats supported Biden as a preferred leader for US-India relations, reflecting the community's Democratic lean.
A notable controversy—the alleged plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-resident advocate for Khalistan—has had a limited reach within the community; only half of those surveyed were aware of it. This incident marked a significant moment, as it marked the first time the Indian government was implicated in an alleged assassination attempt against a dissident in the US. India's government has stated its readiness to support US investigations into the matter; however, the sentiments among respondents regarding India taking similar action in reversed circumstances remained cautious.
Further complicated is the stance on international conflicts, particularly between Israel and Palestine, where Indian Americans appeared divided along party lines. Many Democrats exhibited increased empathy towards Palestinians, while a large segment of Republicans maintained a more pro-Israel standpoint, reflecting broader political trends in the US.
Encouragingly, 47% of Indian Americans indicated a perception that India is advancing positively, aligning with Modi's approval ratings. The findings also noted a growing sentiment that India's 2024 election strengthened democratic principles, despite Modi's party not securing a majority.
Milan Vaishnav, co-author of the survey, pointed out potential gaps in information access within the community and speculated about selective engagement affecting how individuals perceive such serious allegations as the assassination plot. With previous surveys indicating that about 60% of Indian Americans stay abreast of Indian affairs, there remains a notable portion engaged sporadically.
Further nuance is illustrated by the observation that while the community generally supports Modi, their impressions of American politics often differ, revealing complexities driven by individual experiences and varying identities within the Indian-American population.
The survey paints a multi-faceted picture, encapsulating a community balancing its support for India while acknowledging the political shifts and contentious policies that may arise in US-India relations under former President Trump's potential return to power. As the 2024 elections approach in the US, Indian Americans may face a diversity of perspectives that shape their political affiliations and views on foreign relations.
