India, along with the Maldives, Kazakhstan, and Lesotho, has been placed 93rd out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2023, as per Transparency International's latest report. This marks a slip from its 85th position in 2022, with the country's score dipping by just one point to 39 on a scale where 0 indicates high corruption and 100 denotes very clean governance.

Denmark leads the CPI-2023 for the sixth consecutive year, scoring 90, followed by Finland and New Zealand securing the second and third spots with scores of 87 and 85, respectively. Somalia ranks lowest, with Venezuela, Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen also featuring at the bottom due to prolonged crises, primarily armed conflicts.

While India's slight decline in score raises concerns, Transparency International suggests that the fluctuations are minor, making it difficult to draw significant conclusions. However, the report highlights a narrowing of civic space in India, particularly with the passing of the Telecommunications Bill, posing potential threats to fundamental rights ahead of elections.

Transparency International's findings reveal minimal progress in tackling public sector corruption globally, with the average global score remaining unchanged at 43 for the twelfth consecutive year, and over two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.

In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the average CPI score has stagnated at 45 for five years. India's score of 39 falls below this regional average. Notable performers in APAC include New Zealand ranking third with a score of 85, while Singapore and Australia secure the fifth and fourteenth positions with scores of 83 and 75, respectively. India's neighbors, Pakistan and China, scored 29 (rank 133) and 42 (rank 76), respectively, in CPI-2023.

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