India’s Press Freedom Hits New Low, Falling Below Pakistan
India-West News Desk
NEW DELHI – India has fallen further in global press freedom rankings, slipping below countries such as Pakistan and Palestine, while the United States also recorded a decline in the latest global assessment.
According to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released April 30 by Reporters Without Borders, India is ranked 157th out of 180 countries, down six places from 151st in 2025.
The report highlights a broader global downturn, noting that average press freedom scores have reached their lowest level in 25 years. For the first time, more than half of all countries fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for journalism.
India’s position places it behind most of its South Asian neighbors. Pakistan ranks 153rd, Bangladesh 152nd, Bhutan 150th, Sri Lanka 134th, and Nepal significantly higher at 87th. China remains among the lowest-ranked at 178th. India also sits just below Palestine in the index.
At the top of the rankings are Norway, the Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark and Sweden, while the bottom positions are occupied by Eritrea, North Korea, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The report underscores a widespread deterioration in conditions for journalists worldwide. Press freedom declined in 100 out of 180 countries, with the legal environment worsening the most, signaling increasing criminalization of journalism. In the Americas, the United States dropped seven places, while several Latin American countries saw further declines linked to violence and repression.
In its country assessment, the organization points to multiple factors affecting India’s ranking, including rising violence against journalists, concentrated media ownership and increasing political alignment within the media landscape.
It notes that major business groups have expanded their influence in the sector, with the Ambanis, close to the Modi government, owning 70% of the outlet and Adani now owning NDTV and reshaping the mainstream media environment.
The report also raises concerns about access to information and the relationship between the government and the press. It states that India’s prime minister Narendra Modi never holds press conferences and instead gives interviews to YouTubers and outlets friendly to him.
Economic pressures are also cited as a key factor. With media organizations heavily reliant on advertising revenue, including significant government spending, the report says authorities are in a position to influence editorial content.
On safety, the index notes that India remains a challenging environment for journalists, with an average of two to three reporters killed each year in connection with their work.
The index evaluates countries based on political, economic, legal, social and security indicators to measure the state of press freedom globally.
