UK at historic low in corruption index, India slips to 93rd position

The UK is at 71st position in the global corruption index out of 180 countries. India has slipped to the 93rd position, down from its 85th position last year.

The position of UK is at historic low this year. The country also witnessed a significant decline among upper-middle and high-income economies since 2018.

India shares the 93rd position with countries such as the Maldives, Kazakhstan, and Lesotho, according to the Global Corruption Perception Index 2023 released by Transparency International on Tuesday (30).

Despite the drop in rank, India's score only decreased by one point from the previous year, settling at 39 on a scale ranging from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

Transparency International, a global civil society organization, annually compiles the the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), shedding light on perceived corruption levels in various nations.

Denmark continues to lead the index with a score of 90, maintaining its top position for the sixth consecutive year. Following closely, Finland and New Zealand secured the second and third ranks with scores of 87 and 85, respectively.

Conversely, Somalia holds the last position in the index, accompanied by countries like Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen, all grappling with prolonged crises, particularly armed conflicts.

Transparency International acknowledges India's minimal score drop, emphasising the challenge of drawing firm conclusions about significant changes.

The report, however, draws attention to a narrowing civic space in India, notably with the passage of the Telecommunications Bill, posing a potential threat to fundamental rights ahead of upcoming elections.

Globally, the CPI-2023 indicates minimal progress in addressing public sector corruption, as the average global score remains constant at 43 for the 12th consecutive year, with over two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.

In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the average CPI score has remained stagnant at 45 for five consecutive years. India's score of 39 falls below this regional average.

Noteworthy scores in the Asia-Pacific region include New Zealand at rank three with a score of 85, while Singapore and Australia secured ranks five and fourteen with scores of 83 and 75, respectively. India's neighbors, Pakistan and China, scored 29 (rank 133) and 42 (rank 76), respectively.

Daniel Eriksson, CEO of Transparency International, said, “Corruption worsens social injustice and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. In many countries, obstacles to justice for victims of corruption persist. It is time to break the barriers and ensure people can access justice effectively. Everyone deserves fair and inclusive legal systems where victims’ voices are heard at every stage. Anything else is an affront to justice.”