81% Urban Indians Predict Circa 2023 Likely To Be Better Year: Survey

At least 65 per cent of global citizens and 81 per cent of urban Indians are highly optimistic about Circa 2023, predicting it to be better than 2022, revealed Ipsos Global Advisor Predictions 2023 Survey.

Further 7 in 10 global citizens (73 per cent) and one in two urban Indians (57 per cent) pronounced a bad year for them;  58 per cent urban Indians stated the year was not good for their family. 

Also, 73 per cent of urban Indians expect the global economy likely to emerge stronger in 2023.   

And as a part of starting the New Year with purpose, at least 82 per cent of urban Indians resolved to enlist personal resolutions with the intention of doing specific things for themselves and others. Top markets were Peru (91 per cent), Colombia (90 per cent) and Mexico (90 per cent). 74 per cent of global citizens agreed. Markets at the bottom of the heap were Sweden (35 per cent) and Japan (41 per cent).    

Elaborating on the findings of the survey, Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, “The survey captures the zeitgeist of the new year, based on the views of citizens around key macro issues of economy, world security, environment, society and technology to understand how they perceive some of these key issues will play out in the new year. Indians are definitely fascinated by the good and bad of technology, wary of vagaries of the weather, inflation and increased cost of living, unemployment, optimistic of a better year, though will escape more to the virtual world. Indians are also expecting the war in Ukraine to end, tolerance between people to increase, Covid19 lockdowns to not occur. Most importantly, most Indians are beginning the year on a cautionary optimistic note, unlike most of our global counterparts.”    

Economy in 2023

72 per cent urban Indians expect prices to rise faster than people’s incomes in 2023. 79 per cent of global citizens polled believe price rise will be higher than income increases. Markets agreeing most were South Africa (91 per cent), Chile (89 per cent), Argentina (79 per cent). Markets agreeing least were Japan (31 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (52 per cent).   

71 per cent urban Indians expect Inflation to be higher in 2023 vis-à-vis 2022. Global citizens (75 per cent) and some of the markets fearing higher inflation were South Africa (91 per cent), Singapore (87 per cent) and Australia (85 per cent). Markets lowest were Brazil (50 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (52 per cent).  

71 per cent urban Indians polled expect higher interest rates in 2023 versus 2022. Global citizens (74 per cent) and the markets of South Africa (90 per cent) and Australia (87 per cent) had most citizens predicting higher interest rates. Japan (31 per cent) and Saudi Arabia were at the bottom of the heap. 

70 per cent urban Indians expect higher unemployment in 2023 over 2022. Global citizens (68 per cent) and top markets fearing more unemployment were South Africa (88 per cent), Indonesia (86 per cent) and Turkey (80 per cent). Lowest were Brazil (41 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (44 per cent).      

59 per cent urban Indians believe major stock markets around the world could crash in 2023. Malaysia (71 per cent) and Poland (66 per cent) felt the most.  1 in 2 global citizens (52 per cent) too feared. Hungary (35 per cent) and Israel (35 per cent) were lowest.   

World Security in 2023

57 per cent urban Indians believe nuclear weapons will be used somewhere in the world.  48 per cent global citizens fear the same. Top markets were Indonesia (69 per cent) and Peru (62 per cent) and lowest were Hungary (28 per cent) and Romania (34 per cent). 

65 per cent urban Indians (highest globally) expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2023. 40 per cent of global citizens are hopeful. Markets most hopeful were Indonesia (64 per cent) and China (55 per cent) and least hopeful were Japan (25 per cent) and France (30 per cent). 

53 per cent urban Indians expect hackers from a foreign govt to cause a global IT shutdown. Indonesia (65 per cent) and Australia (63 per cent) expect most; Hungary (26 per cent) and Romania (27 per cent) felt least likely. The global average was 44 per cent. 

53 per cent urban Indians (highest globally) and 53 per cent Malaysians predict a rogue AI System that cannot be shutdown to cause a significant havoc globally in 2023. Only 27 per cent global citizens agree. Hungary (12 per cent) and Romania (16 per cent).   

Environment 2023

69 per cent urban Indians predict more extreme weather event in 2023 versus 2022. Indonesia (83 per cent) and France (74 per cent) feared most. Global average was 65 per cent and the market expecting least was Saudi Arabia (46 per cent). Though it was almost half of those polled. 

66 per cent Urban Indians expect circa 2023 to be the hottest year. Spain (72 per cent) and Chile (71 per cent) agreed most. Romania (44 per cent) and Hungary (45 per cent) agreed least. The global average was 57 per cent. 

55 per cent urban Indians fear a natural disaster hitting a major city in the country in 2023. Indonesia (78 per cent) and Turkey (66 per cent) fear most. Romania (22 per cent) and Denmark (23 per cent) feared least; 45 per cent global citizens feared it could happen.

58 per cent urban Indians predict people traveling less in 2023 than they did in 2019. China (66 per cent) and Indonesia (64 per cent) agreed most. Israel (21 per cent) and South Korea (29 per cent) expected least. 42 per cent global citizens agreed. 

82 per cent Indians fear parts of  our country will become unliveable due to an extreme weather event. 85 per cent Indonesians fear the same. 36 per cent global citizens expected this to happen. The markets lowest were Romania (19 per cent) and Sweden (20 per cent).

57 per cent urban Indians are hopeful in 2023, the number of bicycles will outnumber the number of cars in the capital city of our country.  Netherlands had 60 per cent agreeing. While Romania (18 per cent) and Canada (18 per cent) were least hopeful. The global average was 34 per cent. 

59 per cent urban Indians expect breakthrough technology developing in 2023 that will halt climate change. More number of people in Indonesia (76 per cent) and United Arab Emirates (62 per cent) agree. 32 per cent of global citizens agree. Japan (14 per cent) and Hungary (16 per cent) had least agreeing.  

Society in 2023

70 per cent urban Indians predict no further covid19 lockdowns in the country in 2023. 60 per cent of global citizens believe covid19 lockdowns won’t happen in 2023. The markets agreeing most were Indonesia (82 per cent), Turkey (75 per cent) and Malaysia (72 per cent). The markets agreeing least were China (43 per cent) and South Korea (44 per cent). 60 per cent of global citizens were hopeful.

71 per cent urban Indians believe much greater number of people will live their lives in the virtual world in 2023. Indonesia (92 per cent) and Malaysia (76 per cent) agree most. The markets agreeing least were Japan (22 per cent) and Netherlands (36 per cent). The global average was 56 per cent. 

65 per cent urban Indians expect people in the country to become more tolerant of one another in 2023. Markets agreeing most were Indonesia (81 per cent) and UAE (77 per cent). Japan (12 per cent) and Hungary (14 per cent) has very few agreeing. The global average was 34 per cent. 

Technology 

63 per cent urban Indians predict space tourism offering trip to land on Mars will be a reality in 2023. 

71 per cent urban Indians predict a space rocket will be launched en route to Mars in 2023.