India’s Democracy Index Ranking Drops to 53rd Despite Nearly 1 Billion Voters

India's position on the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index has seen notable shifts over the years. In 2010, the nation held the 40th position on the index. Although it rose to a high of 27th in 2014, its ranking dropped significantly to 53rd by 2020.

Following these shifts, the EIU classified India as a "flawed democracy" rather than a full democracy. Countries far smaller than India continue to achieve higher rankings based on international democratic standards.

While nearly one billion people voted in the country's elections, high voter turnout alone did not improve the national ranking. The findings suggest that winning elections is not equivalent to strengthening broader democratic frameworks.