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News: India ranked 157th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders ahead of World Press Freedom Day.
About World Press Freedom Index 2026
- World Press Freedom Index: It Index is an annual ranking of 180 countries, which has been compiled and published since 2002, based on the assessment of press freedom conditions and surveys of professionals worldwide.
- Released by: The index is released by Reporters Without Borders, also known as Reporters Sans Frontières.
- Indicators: The index assesses countries using five key indicators — economic, legal, political, social and security conditions — that together determine the level of press freedom.
- Key finding:
- India’s Performance:
- Rank and Decline: India ranked 157th out of 180 countries, falling six places from 151st in 2025.
- Reasons Identified: The report highlights that journalists are directly targeted, face judicial harassment, and operate under an environment shaped by the growing use of national security laws.
- Comparative Position: Countries like Pakistan, Bhutan, and Syria improved their ranking and moved above India.
- Global Context:
- Historic Decline: More than 52.2% countries fall in “difficult” or “very serious” category, showing worsening press freedom.
- Legal Indicator Concern: The legal indicator saw the sharpest decline, due to criminalisation of journalism and misuse of laws.
- Regional Trends: Eastern Europe and West Asia are identified as the most dangerous regions for journalists.
- Ranking:
- Top countries: Norway ranked first, followed by Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, and Sweden.
- Lowest ranks: Eritrea ranked last, followed by North Korea, China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
- Other trend: Syria recorded the biggest improvement by climbing 36 places after its political transition. while the United States declined to rank 64.
- Challenging Environment: Russia, ranked 172, remains one of the most difficult environments for journalists due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
- India’s Performance:
- Significance: The index highlights a deepening global crisis in journalism with declining protections and increasing pressure on media institutions worldwide.
