The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) from Transparency International tells us a lot about India’s reputation for honesty in the public sector around the world.
The 2023 report shows how India’s success fits in with larger trends in the Asia-Pacific region. It also shows the problems and chances for fighting corruption.
Where India Stands in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)
India’s ranking in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) stayed mostly the same, coming in at number 93 out of 180 countries.
Transparency International puts together the CPI, which ranks countries based on how corrupt they think their public sector is. It uses a range from 0 to 100, with 0 meaning very corrupt government and 100 meaning very clean government.
India’s view of corruption is stable.
India’s average score on the CPI in 2023 was 39, which was slightly lower than the score of 40 it got the previous year. Even though things are stable, the study talks about the ongoing problems in India’s civic space.
For example, it talks about worries about a telecommunications bill that might violate basic rights.
The State of Corruption in South Asia
In South Asia, where countries like Pakistan (133) and Sri Lanka (115) are dealing with high debt and unstable governments, the report shines light on how corruption works there. But both countries have strong judicial control, which keeps the power of the government in check.
For example, Pakistan’s Supreme Court made it possible for more people to use Article 19A of the country’s Constitution, which had only allowed certain organizations to do so before.
A Look at the Region: Asia-Pacific
In the Asia-Pacific area as a whole, the CPI for 2023 shows that efforts to fight corruption have stalled, with the average score staying at 45 out of 100 for five years in a row.
The study stresses that there hasn’t been much progress in fighting corruption, as most countries scored below the regional and global norms.
The Global Scene and the Best Performers
New Zealand (3), Singapore (5), Australia (14), and Japan (16) are still at the top of the ranking because they have strong systems in place to fight corruption.
On the other hand, countries like North Korea (172) and Myanmar (162) that are dealing with authoritarian governments and humanitarian disasters are at the bottom of the index.
Changes in the CPI Scores
According to the study, there have been big changes in the CPI scores since 2018. Scores have gone down in some countries, like Venezuela (13) and Sri Lanka (34), while they’ve gone up in others, like South Korea (63) and Ireland (77).
With a score of 90, Denmark has maintained its top spot on the index for the sixth year in a row. This is due to its strong “well-functioning justice systems.”