According to the latest report from the media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontières, India has been placed 151st out of 180 nations in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
This organization, also known as Reporters Without Borders, has been releasing the World Press Freedom Index annually since 2002.
India's ranking has seen a slight improvement from its 159th position in 2024 and the 161st position in 2023. Nevertheless, it continues to be categorized as having a 'very serious' press freedom situation, as noted by Reporters Without Borders.
The country is identified among those where media ownership is heavily concentrated in the hands of political elites, which poses a threat to media diversity.
Furthermore, the index has indicated that global press freedom is facing a 'difficult situation' for the first time, with economic pressures being a significant factor in the decline of media freedom.
In comparison to its neighbors, India ranks lower than Nepal (90th), the Maldives (104th), Sri Lanka (139th), and Bangladesh (149th). However, it performs better than Bhutan (152nd), Pakistan (158th), Myanmar (169th), Afghanistan (175th), and China (178th).
Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands occupy the top three positions in the index.
Reporters Without Borders assesses press freedom based on five key indicators: political, economic, legislative, social, and security factors.
Anne Bocandé, the Editorial Director of Reporters Without Borders, emphasized that economic independence is crucial for a free press. She stated, 'When news media face financial difficulties, they often prioritize audience attraction over quality journalism, making them vulnerable to exploitation by oligarchs and government entities.'
Bocandé further remarked, 'It is imperative to restore the media economy to a state that supports journalism and guarantees the production of reliable information, which is inherently costly. Financial independence is essential for ensuring trustworthy information that serves the public interest.'
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