While more than eight in 10 Indians consider religious freedom very important, surprisingly, fewer than half deem honest competitive elections important in the world's largest democracy, according to a survey.
There is broad support around the world for many of the basic tenets of democracy, according to Washington-based think-tank Pew Research Centre's survey of 40,786 adults in 38 countries from 5 April to 21 May, 2015.
Most people in nearly all the countries polled say it is at least somewhat important to live in a country with free speech, a free press, freedom on the Internet and competitive elections. And across the 38 countries, global medians of 50% or more consider these freedoms very important.
Freedom of religion emerges as an especially significant issue. Across the countries polled, a median of 74% say it is very important for people to be free to practise their religion.
Americans are also among the most supportive of religious freedom, with 84% in the US saying it is very important.
"Overall, this right is highly valued in the Asia-Pacific region as well," noted the survey, "with more than eight in 10 Pakistanis, Indians and Indonesians describing religious freedom as very important, compared with just 24% in Japan, the lowest share among the countries surveyed."
Elections are clearly considered a central component of democracy, and across the 38 nations in the study, a median of 61% think it is very important to have honest, competitive elections with the choice of at least two political parties.
"However, there are five nations where fewer than half deem this very important: India, Tanzania, Pakistan, Indonesia and Vietnam," found the survey.
In terms of broad support for fundamental democratic principles, 83% Indians consider it very important that people can practise their religion freely, as against a global median of 74%.
Nearly three in four Indians (71%) believe women have the same rights as men as against a global median of 65%.
Half (49%) think honest elections are held regularly with choice of at least two parties compared to a global median of 61%.
About 44% Indians believe people can say what they want without censorship, as against a global median of 56%, while 41% think media can report news without censorship, compared with a global median of 55%.
About 38% Indians believe people can use the Internet without censorship, as against a global median of 50%.
Overall, global attitudes toward freedom of speech and freedom of the press are quite similar.
A 38-nation median of 56% believes it is very important to live in a country where people can say what they want without government censorship.
And, 55% think it is very important that the media report the news without being censored.
Opposition to Internet censorship is also common around the world. A global median of 50% say an uncensored Internet is very important.
