India Ranks 24th in Free Speech Among 33 Countries; Pakistan Shows Improvement

According to a new global study conducted by The Future of Free Expression, an independent think tank located in the United States, India ranks 24th out of 33 countries in terms of support for the freedom of speech. According to its report, 'Who in the World Supports Free Speech?', "while abstract support for free speech remains strong, commitment to protecting controversial speech is eroding in many parts of the world."

The October 2024 study also found that "more countries have seen declines rather than improvements in free speech support since 2021, with some of the biggest drops occurring in democratic nations like the United States, Israel, and Japan."

Most Free Speech Countries

Scandinavia dominated the top rankings, with Norway and Denmark at the top of the Future of Free Speech Index, scoring 87.9 and 87.0 respectively.

Countries with the Biggest Changes in Free Speech Rankings

Indonesia (56.8), Malaysia (55.4), and Pakistan (57.0) made the most significant increases, although remaining at the bottom of the rankings. India, with a score of 62.6, finished 24th, trailing only South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8). At the same time, several authoritarian-leaning states, like as Hungary (85.5) and Venezuela (81.8), scored high, "suggesting a disconnect between government restrictions and public attitudes".

Free Speech in India

Regarding its findings in India, the study discovered that, while the majority of Indians believe it is critical to speak freely without government censorship, support for criticism of government policies is lower than the global average. For example, 37% of Indian respondents agreed that "governments should be able to prevent people" from criticizing government policies, the highest percentage of any country questioned. In contrast, 5% of respondents in the United Kingdom agreed with this statement, while only 3% did in Denmark.

Perception vs. Reality of Free Speech in India

In general, countries that promote free speech tend to have more freedom of expression in practice, and vice versa. However, India was an exception to this pattern. "India, Hungary, and Venezuela constitute the most significant departures from the typical pattern, with actual free speech protection being very low in comparison to popular acceptance. "These are all examples of democratic backsliding in countries that had previously demonstrated high levels of respect for political liberties, including freedom of expression," according to the report.

When asked if their ability to speak freely about political issues has improved or deteriorated over the past year, "Indians and South Africans believe that they have undergone the most significant progress, although observers and rankings tend to agree that the situation in India has become worse if anything," the report stated.

Importance of Free Speech

Noting that "free speech is more than a legal right, it depends on a culture of open debate and tolerance for dissent," Jacob Mchangama, executive director of The Future of Free Speech, stated, "Our findings show that while many nations still claim to champion free expression, in practice, the willingness to defend controversial speech is slipping." Without a public commitment to free expression, even the most robust legal safeguards may become mere paper assurances."