What has the 'Trust Barometer' got to say about India?

Through a survey which comes as a pleasant surprise to many, India became second most trusted nation in the world. It just goes to say how much this new development has affected India’s ties with other countries, as we have already welcomed the US President Obama in our country for a 3-day visit with a view to strengthen India-US ties, and we are certain more such trips from other world leaders shall follow.

As per an article published by the Economic Times, India has gained the position of the second most trusted country in the world in terms of faith reposed in its institutions even as globally, trust levels have fallen.

This is the result of a survey which is conducted on the terms of faith that the people reposed on its institutions. Trust on the Indian institutions in our country has taken a toll high very sharply in the New Year 2015 which helped our country to move up 3 notches, where India has settled in the second place among twenty seven nations across the globe.

A study by public relations firm Edelman has found that general levels of trust in institutions among college-educated people around the globe are at levels not seen since 2009 in many of the markets it surveyed.

While the numbers of “truster” countries are at an all-time low of six in 2015 including UAE, India, China and Netherlands, the number of "distruster" countries has grown significantly to 13 including Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, South Africa and Italy.

Brazil, Malaysia, France and the US are among the 8 "neutral" nations as per the trust index, the survey said.

Trust levels in Indian politicians too increased drastically to 82% in 2015 from 53% less than a year ago. India, which last year saw BJP-led NDA government storming to power at the Centre, stands tall.

According to the report, an "alarming evaporation of trust" has happened across all institutions, reaching the lows of the Great Recession in 2009.

From fifth most trusted in 2014, India has now become the second-most trusted in 2015 with a score of 79 per cent in the barometer. The study has put Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image on the first page.

Globally, the overall trust index was down a percentage point from the previous year at 55 per cent. Trust levels in major developed economies, such as the United States, Germany and France, hovered around 50 per cent.

Government was the only institution to gain trust in 2015, driven by improvements in 16 countries, including India.

Since this change in the global scenario is attributed to the new Government of our country, let us hope that it takes full advantage of this new position held by us and develop mutually beneficial relations with other members of the top group of countries of the world.