A public opinion poll report on the development of China-India relations and media responsibility was released on January 16, 2026. The survey was jointly conducted between October and December 2025 in both nations by the Center for Europe and Asia of China International Communications Group, the Center of Geoeconomics for the Global South, a prestigious think tank in India, and the Center for South Asian Studies of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. Against the backdrop of a gradual warming of China-India relations and the resumption of multi-level dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, the poll aimed to assess public perceptions of expectations for the bilateral relationship, willingness to cooperate, and key obstacles. The report also focused on measuring the responsibility and role of the media in shaping public opinion and enhancing mutual understanding.
The poll used a standardized questionnaire with 28 core questions and collected 1,854 valid responses from China and India through both online and offline channels. Respondents represented a wide range of educational backgrounds and occupations, ensuring broad social coverage. According to the report, insufficient mutual trust remains the biggest obstacle to the development of bilateral relations. Respondents in both countries generally held neutral impressions of each other. At the same time, security concerns and emotional gaps surrounding geopolitics, border-related issues, and strategic positioning remain significant, posing important challenges to bilateral relations.
Despite these challenges, the report notes a clear convergence of views on economic cooperation. Respondents in both countries widely regarded deepening economic cooperation as a key pillar for improving bilateral relations, reflecting a strong willingness to cooperate. Indian respondents, in particular, expressed high expectations for the opportunities that closer Sino-Indian economic cooperation could bring. People-to-people exchanges also emerged as a common priority. Respondents from both sides attached great importance to such exchanges, especially youth interactions, and showed a strong desire for mutual visits. Visa difficulties were identified as one of the main obstacles. Overall, they expressed more positive expectations for the long-term prospects of China-India relations.
The report suggests that, to steer China-India relations toward greater stability, cooperation and mutual trust, it is important to enhance strategic communication and manage differences, strengthen economic cooperation and eliminate unnecessary barriers, expand people-to-people exchanges and promote mutual understanding, and deepen mutual learning and the exchange of governance experience.
