Worry around inflation and jobs recedes in July; though these issues continue to perturb urban Indians most: Ipsos What Worries the World global advisor monthly survey

Ipsos’ What Worries the World survey that tracks public opinion on the most important social and political issues across 29 countries and among 25,750 adults globally,  shows interesting findings for India. Worry around the two niggling issues of Inflation and Unemployment has somewhat receded in July 2023, and likewise for Crime and violence and Poverty and social inequality.                                                           

Though inflation (45%) and unemployment (40%) continue to sit at the top as the biggest worries. The other worries emerging were financial/ political corruption (27%), crime & violence (24%) and poverty & social inequality (22%).Top global worries were inflation (38%), crime & violence (31%), poverty and social inequality (30%), unemployment (26%) and financial and political corruption (26%).

Elucidating on the findings of the survey, Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, “We see some reprieve around inflation and unemployment in July 2023 which is a good sign, though the enormity of the issues remains, which is exacerbated and prolonged due to strained global environment, of global economic slowdown and war in Ukraine and local factors of floods and havoc wreaked by excessive rainfall. We expect the next quarter to further stabilize conditions with a bumper crop in some states.”

India beats global trend of pessimism

While India continues to be optimistic about how we are doing as a country with 57% believing India is moving in the right direction, unlike global citizens, where majority (62%) believe their country is on wrong track, at the same time India has slipped to the 6th spot in July (from 5th rank in June) in the pecking order. Though some of the Asian markets continue to lead the way and occupy top ranks in optimism – Singapore (85%) emerges most optimistic, followed by Indonesia (79%), Thailand (60%) and Malaysia (60%). Brazil (60%) has pipped India (57%) to emerge the 5th most optimistic market.  

"India has shown a lot of resilience in July, in the face of tough external macro factors on the one hand, and local challenges of heavy monsoons ravaging infrastructure and disrupting lives of citizens in the northern states of Punjab, HP, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi and then violence in Manipur. All this is disconcerting for the citizens and adding up for the govt, which already has its hands full," stated Adarkar.    .