India has been ranked 93rd out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the year 2023, according to Transparency International, a global civil society organization. In the 2022 index, India shared the 85th position with five other countries, including the Maldives. Despite the decline in rank, India’s score dropped by only one point from the previous year, settling at 39 on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Denmark secured the top position in the CPI-2023 with a score of 90, maintaining its position for the sixth consecutive year. Finland and New Zealand followed, securing the second and third ranks with scores of 87 and 85, respectively. At the bottom of the index, Somalia ranked last, with other countries in crisis, including Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen.
The slight drop in India’s score from 40 to 39 in the current index is noted by Transparency International, which highlights that the fluctuations are minimal, making it challenging to draw firm conclusions about any significant changes. However, the report points out a narrowing of civic space in India, particularly with the passage of the Telecommunications Bill, posing a potential threat to fundamental rights ahead of the elections.
Transparency International emphasized that the results of CPI-2023 indicate minimal progress in addressing public sector corruption globally. The average global score remains unchanged at 43 for the twelfth consecutive year, with over two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.
In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the average CPI score remained stagnant at 45 for five consecutive years. India’s score of 39 fell below this regional average. Notable scores in the Asia-Pacific region include New Zealand at rank three with a score of 85, while Singapore and Australia secured ranks five and fourteen with scores of 83 and 75, respectively. India’s neighbors, Pakistan and China, scored 29 (rank 133) and 42 (rank 76), respectively, in CPI-2023.
As nations continue to grapple with corruption challenges, the CPI serves as a crucial benchmark for assessing perceptions of corruption globally. India’s position in the index reflects the ongoing efforts needed to strengthen anti-corruption measures and enhance governance for sustained progress.
