India
India exhibits mid-range performance across all four Global State of Democracy categories and ranks among the top 25 per cent of countries in Elected Government. Compared to five years prior, it has experienced declines in Access to Justice, Civic Engagement, Credible Elections, Free Political Parties and Judicial Independence. In International IDEA's Perceptions of Democracy Survey, India stood out for high trust in government.
Home to the world’s largest population, India boasts the world’s fourth-largest economy (tied with Japan), which is dependent on agriculture, industrial production, IT and business services outsourcing, and retail services, amongst others; the informal sector accounts for more than 80 per cent of non-agricultural employment. Despite its large and highly diversified economy, poverty remains prevalent throughout the country.
At independence and as the result of centuries of openness to communities from other countries, modern-day India is home to a diverse population, including several religious communities and 22 official linguistic groups (though there are many more unofficial languages). India's secular identity and reputation for pluralism and multiculturalism have been threatened by the rise of Hindu nationalism in recent years. The broader struggle to find a middle ground between these ideologies shapes politics and reflects the ethnic, religious and socioeconomic cleavages that almost two centuries of British colonial rule helped establish. The questions of identity left by colonial rulers’ use of divide-and-rule, wealth extraction and institutionalized racism and discrimination continue to be debated today. Since Partition, India and Pakistan have fought four wars, primarily due to the long-standing dispute over Kashmir and issues related to cross-border terrorism, where tensions persist.
India exhibits low-range performance Social Group Equality, due in part to a series of laws and policies that have particularly targeted Muslims, including a law for fast-tracking citizenship in some cases that excludes Muslims. While Hindu nationalist parties had long benefitted from a weak opposition, an expanding middle class, and successful delivery of social services, the landscape changed in 2024, when the ruling party failed to win a majority on its own and the opposition did much better than expected.
Despite five-year declines in Credible Elections and Judicial Independence, partly due to pressure on opposition parties, important court rulings levelled the playing field and allowed more participation by opposition leaders. India has also been recently castigated for restrictions on the freedom of expression, increasingly consolidated and co-opted media ownership, internet shutdowns and violence against journalists. Despite being one of the first countries in the world to be led by a female prime minister, the country has struggled to address gender inequality, with particular problems regarding violence and discrimination against women. Notably, however, women’s voter turnout often exceeds male turnout and local gender quotas have had success in empowering women.
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch Rights, especially as contestation over the identity of India continues. Moreover, the government’s response to criticism, both domestic and international, will be an important marker of how open the environment is to diversity of thought and expression. A gender quota requiring assemblies to set aside at least one-third of seats for women will come into effect for the 2029 general elections, likely impacting Gender Equality. Finally, the continuing struggle to address poverty and high economic inequality will impact what has been a positive trajectory for Basic Welfare.
Last Updated: June 2025
https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/
April 2026
Electoral roll revision restricts voter participation in West Bengal polls
In April, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals excluded from West Bengal’s electoral rolls during a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) could not vote in the 23-29 April state elections while their appeals were pending, as voting rights depend on inclusion in finalized electoral rolls. The revisions removed up to 9.1 million names (nearly 12 per cent of the electorate) shortly before polling, raising concerns about large-scale disenfranchisement. These included removals of absentee, deceased and duplicate voters, while approximately 2.71 million were excluded following adjudication by judicial officers and special appellate tribunals over ‘logical discrepancies.’ Around 2.7 million of the voters had challenged their removals. Civil society groups and experts warned that the exclusions disproportionately affected Muslims and other minorities, limiting millions’ ability to exercise their voting rights. Authorities defended the revision as a routine integrity measure with adequate safeguards, dismissing disenfranchisement concerns as exaggerated.
Update: On 28 May, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Election Commission’s SIR of electoral rolls, ruling that it is a legitimate and necessary exercise in furthering the Constitutional obligation to conduct free and fair elections. Political analysts continue to raise concerns about the court’s validation of the controversial process.
Sources: International IDEA, The Guardian, BBC News, Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, Verfassungsblog, The Hindu
Proposed amendments to digital media regulation raise censorship concerns
In April 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) circulated draft amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules to expand oversight of online content, including ‘news and current affairs content’ posted by regular users and independent digital media. The proposals would require platforms to comply with government advisories to retain legal protections, extending regulation to a wider set of actors. The government has framed the amendments as aimed at improving accountability, addressing misinformation, and strengthening oversight. Civil society groups and digital rights experts have called for their withdrawal, warning they could expand executive control and limit freedom of expression by enabling content takedowns and increasing compliance burdens. The draft was open for public and stakeholder feedback for approximately five weeks (30 March-7 May), following extensions to the initial two-week period amid criticism over the limited timeframe.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, Hindustan Times, Jurist
March 2026
Parliament adopts amendment to Transgender Persons Rights Bill
In March 2026, India’s Parliament adopted the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, which received presidential assent on 30 March. The amendment revises the framework for legal gender recognition by removing self‑identification and introducing mandatory medical certification. It also narrows the statutory definition of transgender persons by limiting legal recognition to specific traditionally recognised gender‑diverse communities i.e. Hijra and Kinner and to persons with intersex variations. This excludes individuals whose gender identity is based on self‑identified gender alone i.e. trans men, trans women, or gender non-binary people. The bill departs from the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling linking gender self‑determination to constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity, and it is now being challenged before the Supreme Court and High Courts. The bill passed amid opposition walkouts and criticism over limited consultation, while the government argued the changes were necessary to target protections and prevent misuse of welfare schemes.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, BBC News, Times of India, ABP Live, PRS India , The Tribune
November 2025
Government implements biggest workforce reforms in decades
On 21 November, India implemented four new labour codes, consolidating 29 existing laws into codes on Wages, Social Security, Industrial Relations and Occupational Safety & Health. Approved by parliament in 2019-2020, their rollout was delayed by five years due to trade union protests, COVID-19 disruptions and political resistance. The new codes standardize wage definitions, expand social security, simplify registration processes for employers, and strengthen workplace health and safety standards. They also ensure equal pay and non-discrimination for women, with expanded maternity benefits. Labour rights experts note the codes represent a major modernization of employment regulation, extending coverage also to gig and informal workers. However, their effectiveness depends on enforcement. Several trade unions argue the reforms favour employers and restrict collective bargaining through easing layoffs, raising union recognition thresholds and making it more difficult to hold strikes. Trade unions have indicated they plan to challenge the codes in court.
Sources: BBC News, ISAS Brief, Deutsche Welle, The Times of India, The Economic Times
September 2025
Ladakh protests over statehood turn violent
On 24 September, protests in Ladakh demanding statehood escalated into violence, marking the deadliest outbreak of unrest in the Himalayan region in decades. At least four people were killed, dozens injured and 50 others detained during clashes between protesters and police. The youth-led protests began as a hunger strike that called for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule–a provision in India’s Constitution that protects tribal communities by granting autonomy over land, resources and culture. Since 2019, the region has been organized as a federally-run union territory, having lost its semi-autonomous status following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act. The government claims that activist Sonam Wangchuk incited the violence, which led to arson and vandalism of several local offices of the ruling party, with at least 30 police personnel being injured.
Sources: Times of India, Human Rights Watch, Al Jazeera, BBC News
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