India
Institutional erosion
↓deterioration2026 development data - not published research
The score supports the assessment. It does not compute the status on its own.
Courts retain formal independence but face concerns about deference, appointments and uneven protection of rights.
Independent journalism operates under significant legal, political and economic pressure.
National elections remain competitive and consequential, supporting a relatively stronger electoral score.
Civil-society organisations and dissent face legal and administrative restrictions.
Checks exist but executive-party dominance reduces their practical strength.
Confidence: high. Confidence reflects evidence quality and assessment certainty, not democratic quality.
Direction analysis
The trajectory remains negative. Elections continue to matter and opposition forces can win power, but executive dominance and constraints on media and civil society lower institutional resilience.
What changed
Freedom House rates India Partly Free at 62/100, down from 63, while V-Dem continues to place India within the broader global autocratization trend.
RETHINKK assessment
RETHINKK classifies India as institutional erosion with normal-speed deterioration: electoral competition remains meaningful, but liberal-democratic safeguards have weakened.
Evidence
- Freedom HouseFreedom in the World 2026 - India2026-03-19 / 2026-08-30Source ->Supports: judicialIndependence, mediaFreedom, electoralIntegrity, civicSpace, checksAndBalances
- V-Dem InstituteDemocracy Report 2026: Unraveling The Democratic Era?2026-03-17 / 2026-08-30Source ->Supports: judicialIndependence, mediaFreedom, electoralIntegrity, civicSpace, checksAndBalances