- Saturday, March 01, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
India has found itself slipping on the annual World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RPF), by 11 places, putting it below countries such Pakistan and even the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Norway, Ireland and Denmark were the top three countries in the index while North Korea was placed last.
The annual index, which was published on Wednesday (3) to mark the United Nations’ World Press Freedom Day, ranked India at 161 out of 180 countries. Pakistan, which has never seen a democratically elected prime minister completing his/her full term and has been dominated by the military, was at 150 while Afghanistan, where the Taliban returned to power in 2021, was at 152. China was at 179.
? #RSFIndex RSF unveils the 2023 World Press Freedom Index:
1: Norway ??
2: Ireland ??
3: Denmark ??
24: France ??
26: United Kingdom ??
45: United States ??
68: Japan ??
92: Brazil ??
161: India ??
136: Algeria ??
179: China ??
180: North Korea ??https://t.co/5hHMzwc8KJ pic.twitter.com/Ji3HZcCywo— RSF (@RSF_inter) May 3, 2023
The RPF said the last 12 months saw the “end of [media] pluralism” in India.
RSF’s summary of the report focused on India along with some other nations that saw notable slump in press freedom.
“The situation has gone from ‘problematic’ to ‘very bad’ in three other countries: Tajikistan (down 1 at 153rd), India (down 11 at 161st) and Turkey (down 16 at 165th),” it said.
“In India, media takeovers by oligarchs close to Prime Minister Modi have jeopardised pluralism.”
Speaking more about the situation of press freedom in India, the report said “violence against journalists, the politically partisan media and the concentration of media ownership demonstrate that press freedom is in crisis” in ‘the world’s largest democracy’ ruled by prime minister Narendra Modi since 2014.
India was ranked 140th in the index in 2013, when Modi was yet to come to power.
The Indian authorities in recent years have been accused of targeting independent media voices and organisations that are seen to be critical of the government.
The Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Press Club of India and the Press Association came up with a joint statement expressing concern at the direction of the press’s freedom in the country, The Independent reported.
“The indices of press freedom have worsened in several countries, including India, according to the latest RSF report,” the joint statement was quoted as saying by the PTI.
The opposition expressed concerns over the RSF report. Indian National Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor said in a tweet, “Time for all of us to hang our heads in shame: India slips in World Press Freedom Index, ranks 161 out of 180 countries.”
Time for all of us to hang our heads in shame: India slips in World Press Freedom Index, ranks 161 out of 180 countries https://t.co/fsHM0cmq9o
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 3, 2023
Mahua Moitra, a parliamentarian from the Trinamool Congress, wrote: “Who needs a free press anyway when you can have GodiMedia.”
Bhakts are exhilarated- India has beaten Pakistan – 161 toh 150 se zyaada hai na!
India’s ranks 161 out of 180 countries in 2023 World Press Freedom Index while Pakistan placed at 150.
Who needs a free press anyway when you can have GodiMedia.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) May 3, 2023
The opposition parties in India often mock the country’s pro-government media outlets as “Godi Media”, which is a play on Modi’s name and the Hindi term for lap dogs.
The Indian government has repeatedly expressed disagreement over the RSF’s index in recent years, accusing the watchdog of employing a “non-transparent” methodology.
Its supporters also questioned how a democratic country like India could be ranked below the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan this year.
