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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Indians Oppose Alignment with U.S
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A large majority of people in India are against their government synchronizing its foreign policy with that of the United States, according to a poll by Cfore published in Outlook Magazine. 70 per cent of respondents think India should not follow the U.S. line on Iran and other international issues.
Earlier this month, four communist parties belonging to the Left Front (LF)—which supports the administration led by the India National Congress (INC)—refused to back a nuclear deal between India and the United States, which had been sponsored by Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.
The agreement includes a non-binding clause directing the U.S. president to determine whether India is cooperating with American efforts to confront Iran about its nuclear program. This clause is regarded by critics as a sign that Washington will seek to directly influence India's foreign policy.
On Aug. 29, Communist Party of India (CPI) secretary-general A. B. Bardhan supported the stand taken by the four parties, and urged the Indian government to abstain from continuing negotiations on the matter. Bardhan stated that the parties took a democratic path by seeking the government's clarification about the nuclear deal, adding, "Until these objections are cleared, we will have problems. Therefore, when a suggestion came for a mechanism, we agreed. But we want the government not to go ahead with the next step."
Polling Data
Should India toe the U.S. line on Iran and other issues of foreign policy?
All | Urban | Rural | |
Yes | 20% | 22% | 14% |
No | 70% | 69% | 71% |
Can't say | 10% | 9% | 15% |
Source: Centre for Forecasting and Research (Cfore) / Outlook
Methodology: Interviews with 924 Indian adults in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, as well as adjoining rural areas, conducted on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21, 2007. No margin of error was provided.