Atlantic Council Index flags sharp decline in India’s political freedom since 2014
Washington: India has witnessed a sharp decline in political freedom over the past decade, according to the latest Freedom and Prosperity Indices released by the US-based Atlantic Council. This erosion of democratic rights, the report says, is among the steepest globally and is dragging down overall prosperity.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Freedom Index, which measures political, legal, and economic freedoms, ranks India 95th out of 164 countries, while the Prosperity Index, assessing income, health, inequality, environment, and minority status, places it at 111th. Overall, India scores below average on both indices — 61.7 on freedom and 55.6 on prosperity — positioning it in the bottom 40% globally.
The report highlights a 14-point fall in India’s political freedom subindex between 2014 and 2024, one of the sharpest declines worldwide. “The precipitous decline in political freedoms experienced by the average world citizen when weighted by population is largely attributable to India due to its plummeting trend in political freedom since 2014,” the Council notes. Restrictions on political rights, including freedom of association, expression, and access to independent information, saw the steepest fall.
Minority rights have also deteriorated. India’s score under the minorities component of the Prosperity Index fell from the low 50s in the late 1990s to 47.4 in 2024, reflecting growing discrimination and exclusion along religious, caste, and other lines.
The Council also points out persistent weaknesses in access to civil and criminal justice in India.
