World Press Freedom Index 2026: Press freedom situation in Modi’s India worsens
Paris: The Paris-based international organization for journalists’ rights, Reporters Without Borders, has released the World Press Freedom Index for the year 2026, in which India’s ranking has seen a worrying decline.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the RSF report has placed India at 157th place in the list of 180 countries, while last year India was at 151st position, which shows a further decline of six places.
Experts say that during the Modi government’s tenure in India, the increasing cases against journalists, threats, online harassment, arrests and bans on media houses criticizing government policies are the main reasons due to which India’s global image has been affected to a large extent.
The Reporters Without Borders report has raised serious questions on India’s claim to be the world’s largest democracy.
India’s decline in the World Press Freedom Index has come at a time when serious concerns are being expressed about the increase in violence and censorship against journalists at the global level.
A total of 180 countries were reviewed in this list, in which India’s position has now gone below many African and Asian developing countries.
