India's Democratic Challenges

The World's Largest Democracy Under Pressure

India's democracy has always been improbable: a continental nation of 1.4 billion people, speaking 22 official languages, practicing multiple religions, and spanning vast inequalities of wealth and caste. Yet since independence in 1947, India has held regular, competitive elections with peaceful transfers of power. The Indian model proved that democracy could work in a developing country with enormous diversity.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, which has governed since 2014, critics argue that Indian democracy is being hollowed out. Freedom House downgraded India from 'Free' to 'Partly Free' in 2021. V-Dem's democracy index classifies India as an 'electoral autocracy.' Reporters Without Borders ranks India 159th out of 180 countries for press freedom. Defenders of Modi note that he has won free elections with massive majorities and that India's democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary and vibrant civil society, remain functional.

Specific Concerns

Press freedom has deteriorated significantly. Journalists critical of the government face tax raids, sedition charges, and pressure from advertisers to self-censor. Major media outlets have become broadly supportive of the government. The use of Pegasus spyware against journalists, activists, and opposition politicians was documented in 2021.

Minority rights, particularly for India's 200 million Muslims, are a central concern. The Citizenship Amendment Act (2019) created a path to citizenship based on religion that excluded Muslims. The revocation of Kashmir's special autonomous status involved a massive military lockdown and communications blackout. Mob violence against Muslims, often tolerated or encouraged by local BJP officials, has increased.

Institutional independence is under strain. The Supreme Court has been accused of deferring to the government on politically sensitive cases. The Election Commission, once fiercely independent, faces allegations of favoring the ruling party. The Enforcement Directorate and CBI (India's main investigative agencies) disproportionately target opposition politicians.