India Takes 24th Spot in Free Speech Survey,Pg12

Survey Findings

• India ranked 24th out of 33 countries in the Future of Free Speech Index.
• Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark) ranked highest with scores of 87.9 and 87.0.
• India scored 62.6, placed between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).

Global Trends & Concerns

• Support for free speech has declined since 2021, especially in democratic nations like the U.S., Israel, and Japan.
• Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan showed the biggest improvements, though still ranked low.
• Authoritarian-leaning nations (Hungary - 85.5, Venezuela - 81.8) ranked high, showing disconnects between restrictions and public attitudes.

India-Specific Observations

• While Indians strongly support free speech, their support for criticism of government policies is below global average.
• 37% of Indian respondents supported government restrictions on criticism, the highest among surveyed countries.
• Democratic backsliding noted in India, Hungary, and Venezuela, despite past records of strong political liberties.

Analysis & Way Forward

• Need to strengthen legal protections for free speech & dissent.
• Enhance civic awareness on the importance of criticism in a democracy.
• Avoid excessive government control over public discourse to preserve democratic values.

Mains Mock Question:

"Discuss the role of free speech in a democracy. Examine India's standing in global free speech indices and suggest measures to strengthen freedom of expression."