India ranks 151 out of 180 countries in 2025 World Press Freedom Index

India is ranked 151st out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontières said on Friday.

The non-government organisation, also known as Reporters Without Borders, has been publishing the World Press Freedom Index since 2002.

India’s position has improved marginally from the 159th rank in 2024 and 161st spot in 2023. However, it remains in the “very serious” category, said Reporters Without Borders.

India is listed among the countries where the “concentration of media ownership in the hands of political magnates threatens media plurality”.

Moreover, the index classified the state of global press freedom as being in a “difficult situation” for the first time. A major factor contributing to the weakening of the media was economic pressure, the organisation said.

Among its neighbours, India ranks below Nepal (90th), the Maldives (104th), Sri Lanka (139th) and Bangladesh (149th). It fares better than Bhutan (152nd), Pakistan (158th), Myanmar (169th), Afghanistan (175th) and China (178th).

Norway, Estonia and the Netherlands hold the top three spots.

The Reporters Without Borders evaluates press freedom in countries on the basis of five indicators – political, economic, legislative, social and security.

There is no free press without economic independence, said Reporters Without Borders’ Editorial Director Anne Bocandé.

“When news media are financially strained, they are drawn into a race...

Read more

News