Global Corruption Index: According to Transparency International, a global civil society annual study, India, along with the Maldives, Kazakhstan, and Lesotho, is ranked 93rd out of 180 nations in the Corruption Perception Study (CPI) for 2023. In 2022, India ranked 85th, sharing the spot with five other countries, including the Maldives. Despite a reduction in rank due to worldwide movements, India’s score fell by only one point from the previous year to 39 on a scale of zero (very corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Denmark maintained its lead in the CPI-2023, securing the top position for the sixth consecutive year with a score of 90. Following closely, Finland and New Zealand claimed the second and third ranks, scoring 87 and 85, respectively. Occupying the bottom position was Somalia, accompanied by countries such as Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen, all grappling with prolonged crises, particularly armed conflicts.
Global Corruption Index: India’s rank – check it here.
Transparency International acknowledges the marginal decrease in India’s score from 40 to 39 in the latest index, cautioning against drawing definitive conclusions due to the minimal fluctuations. Nevertheless, the report emphasizes a concerning trend of shrinking civic space in India, notably underscored by the passage of the Telecommunications Bill. This development raises potential threats to fundamental rights, particularly in the lead-up to the elections. Transparency International emphasized that the CPI-2023 results showed little progress in combating public sector corruption worldwide, with almost two-thirds of nations scoring below 50 and the average global score staying steady at 43 for the twelfth consecutive year.
In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the average Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score remained stagnant at 45 for a consecutive five-year period. India, with a score of 39, registered below this regional average. Noteworthy scores within the Asia-Pacific region include New Zealand securing the third position with a score of 85, while Singapore and Australia claimed the fifth and fourteenth ranks, respectively, with scores of 83 and 75. India’s neighboring countries, Pakistan and China, obtained scores of 29 (rank 133) and 42 (rank 76), respectively, in the CPI-2023.
Ratnavali