What is liberal democracy index in India?

Liberal democracy index in India was 0.26 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in India?

The highest recorded value was 0.593 in 1998.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in India?

The lowest recorded value was 0.068 in 1818.

How does India rank for liberal democracy index?

India ranks 103rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in India?

Over the last ten years it is down 37.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this India data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Liberal Democracy Index in India

Name: Liberal Democracy Index in India
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

India: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.26 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.26

Change on year

down 7.5%

World rank

103rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.593

in 1998

All-time low

0.068

in 1818

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in India, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for liberal democracy index in India is 0.26, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 7.5% on the previous year and down 37.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in India peaked at 0.593 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.068, in 1818.

That places India 103rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Liberal Democracy Index in India, year by year

Annual values for Liberal Democracy Index in India, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.069	—
1790	0.069	+0.0%
1791	0.069	+0.0%
1792	0.069	+0.0%
1793	0.069	+0.0%
1794	0.069	+0.0%
1795	0.069	+0.0%
1796	0.069	+0.0%
1797	0.069	+0.0%
1798	0.069	+0.0%
1799	0.069	+0.0%
1800	0.069	+0.0%
1801	0.069	+0.0%
1802	0.069	+0.0%
1803	0.069	+0.0%
1804	0.069	+0.0%
1805	0.069	+0.0%
1806	0.069	+0.0%
1807	0.069	+0.0%
1808	0.069	+0.0%
1809	0.069	+0.0%
1810	0.069	+0.0%
1811	0.069	+0.0%
1812	0.069	+0.0%
1813	0.069	+0.0%
1814	0.069	+0.0%
1815	0.069	+0.0%
1816	0.069	+0.0%
1817	0.069	+0.0%
1818	0.068	-1.4%
1819	0.068	+0.0%
1820	0.068	+0.0%
1821	0.068	+0.0%
1822	0.068	+0.0%
1823	0.068	+0.0%
1824	0.068	+0.0%
1825	0.068	+0.0%
1826	0.068	+0.0%
1827	0.068	+0.0%
1828	0.068	+0.0%
1829	0.068	+0.0%
1830	0.068	+0.0%
1831	0.068	+0.0%
1832	0.068	+0.0%
1833	0.068	+0.0%
1834	0.068	+0.0%
1835	0.068	+0.0%
1836	0.068	+0.0%
1837	0.068	+0.0%
1838	0.069	+1.5%
1839	0.069	+0.0%
1840	0.069	+0.0%
1841	0.069	+0.0%
1842	0.069	+0.0%
1843	0.069	+0.0%
1844	0.069	+0.0%
1845	0.069	+0.0%
1846	0.069	+0.0%
1847	0.069	+0.0%
1848	0.069	+0.0%
1849	0.069	+0.0%
1850	0.069	+0.0%
1851	0.069	+0.0%
1852	0.069	+0.0%
1853	0.069	+0.0%
1854	0.069	+0.0%
1855	0.069	+0.0%
1856	0.071	+2.9%
1857	0.07	-1.4%
1858	0.071	+1.4%
1859	0.075	+5.6%
1860	0.076	+1.3%
1861	0.076	+0.0%
1862	0.082	+7.9%
1863	0.082	+0.0%
1864	0.082	+0.0%
1865	0.082	+0.0%
1866	0.082	+0.0%
1867	0.082	+0.0%
1868	0.082	+0.0%
1869	0.082	+0.0%
1870	0.082	+0.0%
1871	0.082	+0.0%
1872	0.082	+0.0%
1873	0.082	+0.0%
1874	0.083	+1.2%
1875	0.083	+0.0%
1876	0.083	+0.0%
1877	0.083	+0.0%
1878	0.082	-1.2%
1879	0.082	+0.0%
1880	0.082	+0.0%
1881	0.084	+2.4%
1882	0.084	+0.0%
1883	0.086	+2.4%
1884	0.086	+0.0%
1885	0.086	+0.0%
1886	0.086	+0.0%
1887	0.086	+0.0%
1888	0.086	+0.0%
1889	0.086	+0.0%
1890	0.086	+0.0%
1891	0.086	+0.0%
1892	0.086	+0.0%
1893	0.086	+0.0%
1894	0.086	+0.0%
1895	0.086	+0.0%
1896	0.086	+0.0%
1897	0.086	+0.0%
1898	0.086	+0.0%
1899	0.086	+0.0%
1900	0.094	+9.3%
1901	0.094	+0.0%
1902	0.094	+0.0%
1903	0.094	+0.0%
1904	0.094	+0.0%
1905	0.094	+0.0%
1906	0.094	+0.0%
1907	0.094	+0.0%
1908	0.094	+0.0%
1909	0.094	+0.0%
1910	0.096	+2.1%
1911	0.096	+0.0%
1912	0.096	+0.0%
1913	0.096	+0.0%
1914	0.096	+0.0%
1915	0.096	+0.0%
1916	0.096	+0.0%
1917	0.096	+0.0%
1918	0.096	+0.0%
1919	0.096	+0.0%
1920	0.098	+2.1%
1921	0.107	+9.2%
1922	0.107	+0.0%
1923	0.108	+0.9%
1924	0.108	+0.0%
1925	0.108	+0.0%
1926	0.108	+0.0%
1927	0.107	-0.9%
1928	0.107	+0.0%
1929	0.107	+0.0%
1930	0.107	+0.0%
1931	0.108	+0.9%
1932	0.108	+0.0%
1933	0.108	+0.0%
1934	0.108	+0.0%
1935	0.156	+44.4%
1936	0.156	+0.0%
1937	0.157	+0.6%
1938	0.157	+0.0%
1939	0.157	+0.0%
1940	0.157	+0.0%
1941	0.157	+0.0%
1942	0.157	+0.0%
1943	0.157	+0.0%
1944	0.157	+0.0%
1945	0.162	+3.2%
1946	0.165	+1.9%
1947	0.142	-13.9%
1948	0.153	+7.7%
1949	0.154	+0.7%
1950	0.262	+70.1%
1951	0.286	+9.2%
1952	0.461	+61.2%
1953	0.506	+9.8%
1954	0.506	+0.0%
1955	0.506	+0.0%
1956	0.506	+0.0%
1957	0.513	+1.4%
1958	0.514	+0.2%
1959	0.514	+0.0%
1960	0.514	+0.0%
1961	0.514	+0.0%
1962	0.501	-2.5%
1963	0.499	-0.4%
1964	0.499	+0.0%
1965	0.489	-2.0%
1966	0.488	-0.2%
1967	0.502	+2.9%
1968	0.506	+0.8%
1969	0.506	+0.0%
1970	0.493	-2.6%
1971	0.458	-7.1%
1972	0.455	-0.7%
1973	0.455	+0.0%
1974	0.425	-6.6%
1975	0.286	-32.7%
1976	0.265	-7.3%
1977	0.345	+30.2%
1978	0.514	+49.0%
1979	0.515	+0.2%
1980	0.503	-2.3%
1981	0.499	-0.8%
1982	0.497	-0.4%
1983	0.498	+0.2%
1984	0.494	-0.8%
1985	0.517	+4.7%
1986	0.521	+0.8%
1987	0.521	+0.0%
1988	0.517	-0.8%
1989	0.517	+0.0%
1990	0.54	+4.4%
1991	0.561	+3.9%
1992	0.572	+2.0%
1993	0.576	+0.7%
1994	0.582	+1.0%
1995	0.582	+0.0%
1996	0.588	+1.0%
1997	0.591	+0.5%
1998	0.593	+0.3%
1999	0.586	-1.2%
2000	0.584	-0.3%
2001	0.584	+0.0%
2002	0.587	+0.5%
2003	0.583	-0.7%
2004	0.578	-0.9%
2005	0.573	-0.9%
2006	0.569	-0.7%
2007	0.569	+0.0%
2008	0.569	+0.0%
2009	0.539	-5.3%
2010	0.532	-1.3%
2011	0.532	+0.0%
2012	0.525	-1.3%
2013	0.522	-0.6%
2014	0.488	-6.5%
2015	0.417	-14.5%
2016	0.406	-2.6%
2017	0.371	-8.6%
2018	0.363	-2.2%
2019	0.324	-10.7%
2020	0.292	-9.9%
2021	0.307	+5.1%
2022	0.291	-5.2%
2023	0.273	-6.2%
2024	0.281	+2.9%
2025	0.26	-7.5%

India compared with similar countries

India's 0.26 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.203, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
India's 0.26 is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.4365, 60% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.069	0.069	0.069	1
1790s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1800s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1810s	0.0688	0.068	0.069	10
1820s	0.068	0.068	0.068	10
1830s	0.0682	0.068	0.069	10
1840s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1850s	0.0701	0.069	0.075	10
1860s	0.0808	0.076	0.082	10
1870s	0.0824	0.082	0.083	10
1880s	0.0852	0.082	0.086	10
1890s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1900s	0.094	0.094	0.094	10
1910s	0.096	0.096	0.096	10
1920s	0.1065	0.098	0.108	10
1930s	0.1322	0.107	0.157	10
1940s	0.1561	0.142	0.165	10
1950s	0.4574	0.262	0.514	10
1960s	0.5018	0.488	0.514	10
1970s	0.4211	0.265	0.515	10
1980s	0.5084	0.494	0.521	10
1990s	0.5771	0.54	0.593	10
2000s	0.5735	0.539	0.587	10
2010s	0.448	0.324	0.532	10
2020s	0.284	0.26	0.307	6

Countries ranked near India

100 Jordan 0.274 compare
101 Lebanon 0.267 compare
102 Tunisia 0.265 compare
104 Morocco 0.251 compare
105 Ukraine 0.24 compare
106 Cote d'Ivoire 0.228 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for India

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 238,643 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in India?: Liberal democracy index in India was 0.26 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in India?: The highest recorded value was 0.593 in 1998.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in India?: The lowest recorded value was 0.068 in 1818.
How does India rank for liberal democracy index?: India ranks 103rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in India?: Over the last ten years it is down 37.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this India data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Liberal Democracy Index in India. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/liberal-democracy-index/india/

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About this data

Indicator: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.