India Slips Two Positions To 53rd Spot In EIU's Democracy Index, Categorized As 'Flawed Democracy'

India slipped two places to the 53rd position in the 2020 Democracy Index's global ranking, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, which attributed the decline to "democratic backsliding" by authorities and "crackdowns" on civil liberties.

India, however, is ranked higher than most of its neighbouring nations.

India's overall score dropped from 6.9 in 2019 to 6.61 in the Index. The Democracy Index gives an insight into the current state of democracy worldwide for 167 countries.

"With mounting pressure on India's democratic norms, India's score fell from a peak of 7.92 in 2014 to 6.61 in 2020 and its global ranking slipped from 27th (in 2014) to 53rd as a result of democratic backsliding under the current regime," The EIU said.

Norway topped the index titled "Democracy in sickness and in health?", with Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada securing positions in the top 5.

Out of 167 countries, the Democracy Index categorizes 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes.

India has been categorized as a 'flawed democracy' along with countries such as the US, France, Belgium and Brazil.

The EIU report said that in India, "democratic backsliding by the authorities and crackdowns on civil liberties led to a further decline in their global rankings". It further alleged that the Modi government has "introduced a religious element to the conceptualisation of Indian citizenship, a step that many critics see as undermining the secular basis of the Indian state".

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