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Defence forces, RBI and Prime Minister of India are the three most trusted institutions in the country, according to a survey by Ipsos India.

The Supreme Court of India came fourth and it was followed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Defence Forces with at least 2 in 3 (65 per cent of respondents) reposing faith in them was ranked first, followed by Reserve Bank of India with 1 in 2 (50 per cent). Prime Minister of India as an institution was at the third spot with 49 per cent citizens having trust in it, the survey said.

Smack in the middle was the Parliament (33 per cent) ranked 7th, ranked 8th was the media (32 per cent) and placed 9th was the Election Commission of India (31 per cent), it said.

"Trust is about credibility, ethos and respect. It is exemplary and earned and is the foundation on which the institutions are built, resonating those qualities. Defence Forces, RBI, PM of India are pillars with a strong foundation and unwavering in their mission and work, emerging as most trusted by the populace," it said.

It is also about integrity and strength of character which the most trusted institutions strive for and stand for, it said.

The institutions at the bottom of the heap were politicians (16 per cent), political parties (17 per cent), community leaders (19 per cent) and religious leaders (21 per cent), it said, adding, these institutions have least credibility according to the opinions of the citizens across the cities and target groups polled," it said.

"Why are these institutions low on trust? Is it because of promises not kept? Or stated intentions are failing the test of authenticity. Whatever the reasons, these institutions will need to do some bit of introspection of how they can win back the trust of citizens. By walking the talk? Or by enhancing their delivery mechanism," it said.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos India via a quantitative survey using a structured questionnaire, and interviewed 2,950 adults including females.

Respondents from four metros, tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 towns were included in the survey with a margin of error of +/-5 per cent, it disclosed.