Media Corruption Score in India
India: Media Corruption Score was -0.022 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.022
Change on year
down 111.6%
World rank
117th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.56
in 1965
All-time low
-2.03
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Media Corruption Score in India, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for media corruption score in India is -0.022, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 111.6% on the previous year and down 103.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, media corruption score in India peaked at 1.56 in 1965 and was at its lowest, -2.03, in 1900.
India ranks 117th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Media Corruption Score in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -2.03 | — |
| 1901 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.03 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.254 | -112.5% |
| 1946 | 0.254 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.646 | +154.3% |
| 1948 | 1.53 | +136.2% |
| 1949 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.56 | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.56 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.198 | -112.7% |
| 1976 | -0.198 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.104 | -47.5% |
| 1978 | 1.3 | -1348.1% |
| 1979 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.25 | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.884 | -29.0% |
| 2001 | 0.931 | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.09 | +17.3% |
| 2006 | 1.09 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.09 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.09 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.09 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.949 | -13.1% |
| 2011 | 0.949 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.983 | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 0.769 | -21.8% |
| 2014 | 0.694 | -9.8% |
| 2015 | 0.602 | -13.3% |
| 2016 | 0.588 | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 0.409 | -30.4% |
| 2018 | 0.187 | -54.3% |
| 2019 | 0.09 | -51.9% |
| 2020 | -0.467 | -618.9% |
| 2021 | -0.442 | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 0.013 | -102.9% |
| 2023 | 0.029 | +123.1% |
| 2024 | 0.189 | +551.7% |
| 2025 | -0.022 | -111.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's -0.022 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2205. (46 countries reporting)
- India's -0.022 is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.14. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -2.03 | -2.03 | -2.03 | 10 |
| 1910s | -2.03 | -2.03 | -2.03 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.03 | -2.03 | -2.03 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.03 | -2.03 | -2.03 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.5929 | -2.03 | 1.53 | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.53 | 1.53 | 1.53 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.55 | 1.53 | 1.56 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9916 | -0.198 | 1.56 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.26 | 1.25 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.01 | 0.884 | 1.09 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.622 | 0.09 | 0.983 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1167 | -0.467 | 0.189 | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is media corruption score in India?
- Media corruption score in India was -0.022 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest media corruption score recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 1.56 in 1965.
- What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.03 in 1900.
- How does India rank for media corruption score?
- India ranks 117th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is media corruption score rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 103.7%. 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 Media Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.