New Delhi, May 6 — India has slipped to 157 out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, down from 151 just a year ago. This ranking places India behind neighbours like Bangladesh and even Pakistan. The only country in the region with a lower ranking is China.
The latest rankings from Reporters Without Borders tell a sobering story. India's steady decline in press freedom is a result of a deliberate shift in how power responds to scrutiny. Criticism is not a flaw in democracy, but it is increasingly treated as a threat to be neutralised.
This is how censorship evolves in the digital age — not always through overt bans, but through systemic pressure that makes resistance impractical.
The real story lies in the fine print of regulation. Proposed changes to IT rules are steadily eroding the legal process for content takedowns. The line between "advisory" and "order" is being blurred, with compliance timelines shrinking from hours to potentially minutes.
The Erosion of Free Speech
Content blocking has surged dramatically, from thousands of removals in 2023 to tens of thousands by 2025. This is not moderation, but escalation. The threat of losing "safe harbour" protections under Section 79 ensures that platforms have little incentive to question directives. When in doubt, delete, has become the mantra.
The Shreya Singhal vs Union of India ruling had reinforced the need for a defined legal process for content takedowns. However, the proposed changes to IT rules are undermining this safeguard. The result is a chilling effect on free speech, where creators are hesitant to question authority for fear of account suspension, legal trouble, or algorithmic invisibility.
The Widening Scope
It is no longer just legacy media under pressure. A YouTuber, a satirist, a journalist, or even an ordinary citizen posting about public affairs can now fall under the category of a "digital news broadcaster". In theory, this brings accountability, but in practice, it risks overreach. The boundary between regulation and subjectivity is disappearing, making self-censorship inevitable.
- Misinformation is a real problem that needs to be addressed.
- Deepfakes and scams are also concerns that require urgent attention.
- Online abuse is another issue that needs to be tackled.
The Government's Argument
The government's concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, scams, and online abuse are not baseless. However, the intent matters less than the execution. If the same urgency shown in regulating criticism were applied to tackling fraud networks or coordinated misinformation campaigns, the argument would carry more weight.
Why India Should Pay Attention
India is undergoing a structural shift in how information flows. Traditional media has, in many cases, softened its critical edge. Meanwhile, social media has emerged as the primary space for public discourse, especially among younger audiences. The question is no longer whether the state can regulate the internet — it can. The real question is: how far should it go? The Supreme Court of India has previously affirmed that free speech cannot be curtailed without due process. Civil society groups like the Internet Freedom Foundation continue to push for transparency and accountability.
