'Democracy Backsliding': India Slides 2 Notches To 53rd Rank In EIU's Index
The ranking of India, which holds the title of world's largest democracy, slipped two places to 53rd in the '2020 Democracy Index' or Global Democracy Index. However, India is in a better position than most of its neighbours.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said that the country slipped two places in 2020 as compared to 2019 due to the ‘democratic backsliding' and 'crackdowns' on civil liberties. India was ranked 51 in the 2019 democracy index.
India’s overall score fell from 6.9 in 2019 to 6.61 in the Index that provides a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 167 countries. “With mounting pressure on India’s democratic norms, India’s score fell from a peak of 7.92 in 2014 to 6.61 in 2020 and its global ranking slipped from 27th (in 2014) to 53rd as a result of democratic backsliding” under the current regime, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said. Norway topped the report titled “Democracy in sickness and in health?”, with Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada making up the top five. Out of 167 countries, the Democracy Index classifies 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes. India has been classified as a ‘flawed democracy’ along with countries such as the US, France, Belgium and Brazil. The EIU report alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government has “introduced a religious element to the conceptualisation of Indian citizenship, a step that many critics see as undermining the secular basis of the Indian state”. "The authorities' handling of the coronavirus pandemic led to a further erosion of civil liberties in 2020," the report said. Among India's neighbours, Sri Lanka ranked 68th, Bangladesh 76th, Bhutan 84th and Pakistan 105th. Sri Lanka is also categorised as flawed democracy, while Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan are in the category of 'mixed governance'. Afghanistan ranks 139th and is classified as an 'authoritarian regime'. The Asia and Australasia region includes top-scoring New Zealand, which retained its fourth position in the global ranking and persistent laggard North Korea at the bottom of the global ranking in 167th place, the EIU said in a statement. Australia retains its full democracy status and high ranking (9th). Five countries that topped the Democracy Index and their scores: 1 Norway - 9.81 2 Iceland - 9.37 3 Sweden - 9.26 4 New Zealand - 9.25 5 Canada - 9.24 Five countries which are at the bottom of the Democracy Index and their scores: 163 Chad - 1.55 164 Syria - 1.43 165 Central African Republic - 1.32 166 Democratic Republic of Congo - 1.13 167 North Korea - 1.08
India’s overall score fell from 6.9 in 2019 to 6.61 in the Index that provides a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 167 countries. “With mounting pressure on India’s democratic norms, India’s score fell from a peak of 7.92 in 2014 to 6.61 in 2020 and its global ranking slipped from 27th (in 2014) to 53rd as a result of democratic backsliding” under the current regime, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said. Norway topped the report titled “Democracy in sickness and in health?”, with Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada making up the top five. Out of 167 countries, the Democracy Index classifies 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes. India has been classified as a ‘flawed democracy’ along with countries such as the US, France, Belgium and Brazil. The EIU report alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government has “introduced a religious element to the conceptualisation of Indian citizenship, a step that many critics see as undermining the secular basis of the Indian state”. "The authorities' handling of the coronavirus pandemic led to a further erosion of civil liberties in 2020," the report said. Among India's neighbours, Sri Lanka ranked 68th, Bangladesh 76th, Bhutan 84th and Pakistan 105th. Sri Lanka is also categorised as flawed democracy, while Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan are in the category of 'mixed governance'. Afghanistan ranks 139th and is classified as an 'authoritarian regime'. The Asia and Australasia region includes top-scoring New Zealand, which retained its fourth position in the global ranking and persistent laggard North Korea at the bottom of the global ranking in 167th place, the EIU said in a statement. Australia retains its full democracy status and high ranking (9th). Five countries that topped the Democracy Index and their scores: 1 Norway - 9.81 2 Iceland - 9.37 3 Sweden - 9.26 4 New Zealand - 9.25 5 Canada - 9.24 Five countries which are at the bottom of the Democracy Index and their scores: 163 Chad - 1.55 164 Syria - 1.43 165 Central African Republic - 1.32 166 Democratic Republic of Congo - 1.13 167 North Korea - 1.08
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