Pakistan surpasses India in economic optimism, peace outlook for 2026

'End of Year Survey' by Gallup highlights stark contrast in sentiment across South Asia

A new survey has revealed that Pakistanis have entered 2026 with significantly high expectations for economic prosperity and global peace as compared to their neighbours in India, defying global trends of pessimism.

The 'End of Year Survey' by the Gallup International Association highlights a stark contrast in sentiment across South Asia. While India shows higher general hope for the new year, Pakistan outperforms its eastern neighbour on key measures of economic confidence and expectations for a more peaceful world.

Economic outlook

On the specific question of economic prosperity, Pakistan stands out regionally. The poll found that 53% of Pakistani respondents believe 2026 will bring economic prosperity, compared to just 39% in India. This confidence is particularly notable against the global backdrop, with the world average for economic optimism sitting at only 24%.

The survey also examined the 'net score' by subtracting pessimists from optimists.

In Pakistan, the hopeful outnumber the fearful by 26 percentage points, while in India, the lead is much smaller, with optimists exceeding pessimists by just 13 points.

“Economic sentiment in Pakistan is notably stronger than both the global average and India, despite widespread global economic pessimism,” the report stated.

Hope for peace

Pakistan's optimism extends beyond the economy to 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 economic and peace metrics, India maintains a stronger sense of general 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.

Drivers of optimism

The surge in Pakistani optimism is largely driven by younger demographics. Optimism is most concentrated among those aged 18-34, while older age groups expressed more caution regarding the coming year.

The report noted that this year’s figures represent one of the highest recorded levels of optimism since tracking began in 1994, comparable to peaks seen in the late 1990s and mid-2010s.