MAM
India stays buoyant and ranks 3rd in optimism: Ipsos What Worries the World global monthly survey
Mumbai: The November wave of the Ipsos What Worries the World shows India continues to buck the global trend of pessimism and is ranked as the 3rd most optimistic market, with at least 71% of urban Indians polled believing India is headed in the right direction. Interestingly, two South East Asian markets of Singapore (83%) and Indonesia (77%) emerged the most optimistic, while only 37% of global citizens were optimistic and majority (63%) believed their country is on the wrong track.
These are the findings of the Ipsos What Worries the World global monthly survey that tracks public opinion on the most important social and political issues, alongside whether people think things in their country are heading in the right or wrong direction, across 29 countries.
Local and global worries
Top issues worrying Urban Indians in November 2023 were: Inflation (48%), unemployment (44%), crime and violence (27%), financial and political corruption (25%), and terrorism (21%). Terrorism is new in the top 5 worry list, knocking out poverty and social inequality to the 6th spot.
Global citizens were most concerned about, inflation (38%), crime and violence (30%), poverty and social inequality (30%), unemployment (26%) and financial and political corruption (25%).
Elucidating on the findings of the survey, Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar said, “India continues to be ranked among the top most optimistic markets despite all the global disruption and macro factors impacting the local market and our economy. Our economy depends a lot on local consumption and festivals have further added to the buoyancy, with consumers loosening their purse strings to splurge.”
“The worries of Indians have been around wave after wave, despite measures taken by the govt to provide reprieve. Some factors are global, with global economic slowdown, wars in Ukraine and Gaza, job cuts by global companies that have offices in India. Terrorism is a new worry that has surfaced this month. Govt needs to address these worries of citizens on priority.”
Methodology
This 29-country Global Advisor survey was conducted between October 20th 2023 and November 3rd 2023 via the Ipsos Online Panel system among 20,570 adults aged 18-74 in Canada, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye and the United States, 20-74 in Indonesia and Thailand, 21-74 in Singapore, and 16-74 in all other nations.
The “Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the population size of each country and is not intended to suggest a total result. The sample consists of approximately 1000+ individuals in each of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and the US, and approximately 500+ individuals in each of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey. The samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the US can be taken as representative of these countries’ general adult population under the age of 75. The samples in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than the general population.
The survey results for these markets should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of these populations. Weighting has been employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to the most recent census data. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website. Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of don’t knows or not stated responses.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
