A recent survey conducted by India Today magazine found that over 40% of Indians believe that a second term for U.S. President Donald Trump would be beneficial for India. The results were published just a day before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.

According to the Mood of the Nation survey, Trump enjoys strong support among Modi’s followers and those aligned with his party. Only 16% of respondents viewed Trump’s re-election as negative or harmful for India, while the rest felt his presidency would have little to no impact on the country.

The survey results were released late Wednesday (Feb 12), just before Trump announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on nations imposing high duties on U.S. imports. The Trump administration has previously criticized India’s trade policies, arguing that high tariffs limit the entry of American goods into the Indian market.

Yashwant Deshmukh, a psephologist from CVoter, the agency that conducted the poll, explained on India Today that there is a distinct ideological alignment between Trump and Modi supporters. He noted that conservative voters in both countries tend to favor leaders who project strong nationalist policies.

Beyond Trump’s approval ratings, the survey also measured the political landscape in India. It found that if general elections were held today, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies would secure 47% of the vote, while the opposition Congress-led alliance, headed by Rahul Gandhi, would receive 41%. The India Today biannual survey is widely tracked for its insights into public sentiment on key political matters.

Although Modi’s BJP lost its outright majority in last year’s general elections and had to rely on coalition partners to form a government, the party has since made significant electoral gains. Despite India’s slowing economy, the BJP alliance has won three crucial state elections, demonstrating its continued political strength.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file