India has dropped to the third position in terms of people's trust in the government, businesses, media and NGOs. The study, released on Monday, also revealed that lower-income groups trust these institutions much less than wealthier individuals.

The 25th annual Edelman Trust Barometer, which is released prior to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, also revealed that India is ranked 13th in terms of foreigners' trust in businesses with Indian headquarters. Canada was at the top of this list of foreign-headquartered businesses, followed by Japan, Germany, the UK, France, and the US. Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, China, and Brazil also had higher rankings than India. China once again topped the overall list for public trust in the government, businesses, media, and NGOs. Indonesia moved into second place, replacing India, as its score improved, even though India's score remained the same.

Japan took the United Kingdom's place at the bottom of the 28-nation survey. The low-income population was much less trustworthy than the high-income group in the majority of nations, including India. However, only 65% of those with low incomes had faith in Indian institutions, compared to 80% of those with high incomes. In addition, the survey revealed some alarming patterns of violence and misinformation spreading as valid means of bringing about change on a global scale.

According to the report in most countries' election and change of government had minimal effect. According to the global communications firm Edelman, which surveyed over 33,000 people in 28 countries, the barometer showed that economic anxieties have spread to grievances, with 60% of respondents expressing a moderate to high level of discontent.

This belief is based on the idea that the government and businesses hurt regular people and serve the interests of a few wealthy individuals, leaving everyone else to struggle. Fear of discrimination has risen sharply, increasing by 10 points to reach a record high of 63%. This fear affects people of all genders, ages, and income levels. The biggest increase (14 points) was seen among white individuals in the US, according to the survey. "Over the last decade, society has devolved from fears to polarisation to grievance," Edelman CEO Richard Edelman said. The study also revealed a historically low level of trust in institutional leaders worldwide: on average, 69% of participants believe that journalists, business executives and government representatives intentionally mislead them. Since 2021, this average number has risen by 11 points.

A recent survey highlighted growing confusion about reliable news sources, with 63% of people saying it's becoming harder to determine if news comes from a trustworthy source or if it's an attempt to deceive. Worryingly, 40% of respondents, including 53% of those aged 18-34, supported at least one form of hostile activism to create change. This includes online attacks, deliberately spreading false information, threatening or committing violence, and damaging public or private property. A loss of confidence in leading economies was one of the other important conclusions. According to the Trust Index, five of the top ten economies in the world were among the least trusting countries- Japan (at 37%), Germany (41%), the UK (43%), the US (47%), and France (48%).

In developing countries, trust levels were higher, with China (77%), Indonesia (76%), India (75%) and the UAE (72%) leading the Trust Index. Although there was a 3-point decrease to 75% trust in employers, "my employer" remained the most trusted institution worldwide. The survey also revealed that many people view the wealthy as part of the problem, with 67% believing the rich avoid paying their fair share of taxes, and 65% blaming their selfishness for many of the issues faced by ordinary people.