India's democratic status under scrutiny following Freedom House report

The Indian government issued a formal rebuttal through the Press Information Bureau following a report by the US-based think tank Freedom House, which classified India as ‘partly free’. The government defended the nation's democratic health by citing the federal structure and the ability of opposition parties to rule various states through free and fair elections.

However, analysis of the Freedom House findings shows that while India maintained relatively high scores in political rights—scoring 33/40 in 2023 regarding election impartiality and the ability to form political parties—it performed poorly in the civil liberties category. India received a score of 33/60 in this area, which accounts for 60 per cent of the total rating. Specific concerns cited include restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of religion, academic freedom, freedom of assembly, and the ability of NGOs to operate, including specific mention of actions taken against Amnesty International India.