World Press Freedom Index: India behind Pakistan, Afghanistan

India fell 11 spots in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, ranking 160 out of 180 nations. The finding was released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) after assessing the current state of journalism in 180 nations. It is also worth noting that this is the second consecutive year that India's ranking has slipped further from the year before.

• Each year on May 3, World Press Freedom Day is observed. The index mentioned above highlights the degree of freedom news organizations and journalists have in each nation.
• India was recently in the headlines after questions were raised over press freedom after the central government tried to ban a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi titled India: The Modi Question.

As per the report, one journalist was killed in the nation, while 10 journalists have been put behind bars since January 1, 2023. "With an average of three or four journalists killed in connection with their work every year, India is one of the world's most dangerous countries for the media," stated the report by the World Press Freedom Index.

The report further said, "The violence against journalists, the politically partisan media and the concentration of media ownership all demonstrate that press freedom is in crisis in 'the world's largest democracy,' ruled since 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the embodiment of the Hindu nationalist right."

In comparison to India's 160th ranking, its neighbor Pakistan is ranked 150, up seven places. While Nepal lost 19 spots and was ranked 95 this term, Sri Lanka moved 11 spots upwards and secured a 135 ranking. Meanwhile, junta-ruled Myanmar is ranked 173, moving up by three points in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index.

On the topic of journalists' safety, the RSF report highlighted that threatening coordinated campaigns of hatred and calls for murder are made on the internet. "Such campaigns are often even more violent when they target women journalists, whose personal data may be posted online as an additional incitement to violence," alerted the report.