PM Modi’s Leadership and India’s Growing International Influence Could Boost His Re-Election Chances: Survey

The findings illustrate that India’s world-beating growth has shown starkly different benefits for its 1.4 billion people. Despite Prime Minister Modi’s domestic manufacturing push over the last decade, the creation of jobs remains a challenge. As India prepares for a seven-phase general election starting on April 19, unemployment has emerged as the primary concern for 27% of the 10,000 voters surveyed across 19 of India’s 28 states, followed by price rise at 23%.

The survey revealed that 62% of respondents found it more difficult to find jobs in the last five years, during PM Modi’s second term. While the construction of a grand temple dedicated to Lord Ram was praised by 22% of participants, only 8% considered it their primary concern. Despite being the world’s fastest-growing major economy and the fifth-largest, India struggles with unemployment and inflation, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.4% in 2022/23.

Official data shows that nearly 16% of urban youth in the 15-29 age group were unemployed in 2022/23 due to poor skills and a lack of quality jobs. Additionally, 48% of respondents believed that the temple would consolidate a Hindu identity, while 79% emphasized that India belongs to citizens of all religions equally. Voters were also influenced by India’s growing international courtship, with events such as India’s presidency of the G20 bloc and hosting the G20 leaders.

About 8% of the survey’s respondents appreciated the government’s efforts to create a better international image of India.