The Narendra Modi-led NDA government is 14 months into its third term — a turbulent period that saw India clash with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and its ties with the US hitting a rough patch amid Trump’s tariffs. Is the Prime Minister still the unparalleled choice of the nation if elections are held today, or has the opposition gained ground?
These questions, as well as several others about PM Modi’s performance as well as his foreign policy outlook, will be answered in the India Today Group’s bi-annual Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey.
The findings of the MOTN survey, India’s leading opinion poll that has always given an accurate picture of the views of citizens on the most pressing topics of the day, will be releasefd on Thursday (August 28) from 7 pm.
The Mod of the Nation findings that will be released on Thursday will reveal India’s mood on the overall national picture, PM Modi’s performance, the opposition’s impact, and the steep tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
Stay tuned to India Today Live TV to get the findings in real-time.
Another segment, which will air on August 29 from 8-10 pm on India Today TV, will give a picture of what India felt about Operation Sindoor, PM Modi’s foreign policy amid a geopolitical churn, and the impact of the special intensive revision (SIR) in Bihar.
The India Today Magazine issue that comes out this weekend will provide a deep analysis of the country’s mood. So make sure to subscribe and get your physical or digital copy for sharp takes from the survey.
WHAT INDIA FEELS ON PM’S PERFORMANCE, OP SINDOOR
At the centre of the biannual survey will be PM Modi’s personal performance. Now, in his 11th year as Prime Minister, Modi has so far shown the ability to withstand setbacks and come out from difficult situations unscathed.
However, his third term has started on a rather challenging note. After the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 25 tourists dead, India launched its biggest counter-terror operation, Sindoor, deep inside Pakistan, destroying key terror camps.
It fuelled three days of hostilities, which eventually ended in a cessation of hostilities after Pakistan dialled India as the Indian armed forces targeted 11 vital military bases. The development gave PM Modi’s ‘ghar mein ghuske marenge‘ image a big boost.
TRUMP TARIFFS A CHALLENGE
However, not all has gone well on the Western front. Apart from a hostile neighbour, PM Modi has also had to deal with a hostile Trump and his tariffs.
At 50%, India is among countries facing the highest tariff rates, mostly over its continued purchase of discounted Russian oil. A bilateral trade deal is also in limbo over Trump’s demand for larger access to India’s agricultural and dairy markets.
PM Modi has, however, refused to give in to Trump’s bluster and instead urged all citizens to support ‘swadeshi (indigenous)’ goods. The Mood of the Nation August 2025 edition will give an inkling into what the nation feels about Trump’s tariffs and India’s action so far.
OPPOSITION GAINING GROUND?
At home, the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar has raised a storm, with the opposition calling it a ploy to disenfranchise lakhs of voters.
Along with the SIR issue, the opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, has started a “vote chori” campaign, alleging that the Election Commission was colluding with the BJP to steal elections.
The MOTN survey will give an insight into whether the opposition has been able to craft a credible counter-narrative.
With the Modi 3.0 government into its second year, the survey will show whether his government continues to ride on popular support, or whether geopolitical challenges and domestic issues have given the opposition the upper hand.
– Ends