In an all-important election year, the Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report signals cheer for the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2019, when Congress’ rhetoric is at its shrillest, India’s trust in 2019 is higher than 2018 by 4 points. The Edelman Trust Barometer stands at 74% in 2019.
While the global average of trust in the government stands at 47, which is three points up from 2018, India’s trust index in the government stands at a whopping 74, 4 points up from 2018.
While the majority of countries across the world have displayed distrust in their respective governments, India is in the top 3 countries of the world with the highest trust factor in the government.
Since these ratings have come on an all-important election year, it bodes well to go back in time and analyse what the trust rankings in the government were in 2008, 2009 when the Congress government was elected to power and 2013-2014, right before Prime Minister Modi was elected.
In 2008 the trust in the government was an abysmal 49%. However, in 2009, year when the Congress government came into power, the trust in the government fell further to 43%.
In 2013, right before the Congress was voted out of power, the trust in the government, according to Edelman Trust Barometer was 57%.
In 2014 January, right before the Congress government was booted out and the Narendra Modi government was elected, the trust in the government fell even more.
As one can see from the chart, same time in 2014, the Congress government inspired a trust of 53%. Down from 57%.
In essence, India’s trust barometer in the Congress government right before Modi government was elected to power was 53%. Today, in the same month of January when the report has been released, right before India goes to election as is poised to exercise their franchise in 2019, the trust in the Modi government is at a whopping 74%.
Trust in the Media was up by 3 points, standing at 64 in 2019, however, it remained the least trusted institution in India and Globally.
India remained highly optimistic about the future as well. While the world remained largely pessimistic, India’s optimism about the future stood at an encouraging number, ranking third in the world. While the mass population was 79% optimistic about the future, the informed public was 88% optimistic about the future.
The difference between the mass population and informed public was a glaring problem throughout the world and even in India. While the informed public’s overall trust quotient stood at 83 (Top three in the world), that of the mass population stood at 66. Even with the disparity, the Modi government seems to be doing far better than the Congress government of the past.
Interestingly, despite Rahul Gandhi shrill anti-industry rhetoric, the faith that companies can take actions that improve society while making a profit too stood at a high level for India. India ranked the 4th in the world with an 81 score, 5 points up from 2018.
Trust in NGOs too remained high in India with a score of 72. Among most of the parameters, one of the worst performing barometers was India’s faith in the Media. This was the parameter that stunted the overall trust score more than any other parameter.
With the approval ratings for this government looking optimistic, far more than the Congress government’s rating right before the election when they were voted back to power, the Modi government certainly has a reason to cheer.
