India’s Ranking in the Global Press Freedom Index :
According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), India secured the 151st position out of 180 countries. While this marked an improvement from its 159th ranking in 2024, India continues to remain in the “very serious” category for press freedom. This classification reflects concerns over restricted journalistic independence and persistent pressure on media organizations.
On a global scale, press freedom declined to its lowest level on record in 2025, with more than half of the world’s population living in countries where media freedom is considered “very serious.” Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands emerged as the top-ranked nations, whereas Eritrea, North Korea, and China were placed among the lowest in the index.
Indian Exports :
India’s export performance in 2025 reflected a mix of strength and pressure:
- Strong overall export figures: During the first half of FY26 (April to September 2025), India’s total exports of goods and services touched around USD 418.6 billion, marking the highest-ever level for this period.
- Merchandise exports trend: Exports of goods recorded growth in several months and amounted to roughly USD 407 billion between January and November 2025. However, month-to-month figures were uneven, with some periods of decline.
- Key challenges: India’s export growth faced multiple global challenges, such as trade barriers and tariffs—especially steep U.S. tariffs of about 50 per cent on certain products—along with weaker global demand and the risk of new measures like carbon border taxes, all of which could affect future export performance.
Infrastructure & Transport Failures
Throughout the course of the year, numerous reports consistently drew attention to serious challenges across India’s transport infrastructure, particularly in the road, railway, and aviation sectors. These reports pointed to a range of problems, including several tragic and high-profile accidents that raised concerns about safety standards and infrastructure maintenance. At the same time, they highlighted chronic traffic congestion in major cities, where overcrowded roads and inadequate public transport systems continued to slow the movement of people and goods. In addition, shortcomings in the quality and coverage of rural roads were repeatedly noted, with many areas still lacking durable, well-connected transport links. Together, these issues were shown to have a negative impact on overall logistics efficiency, disrupting supply chains, increasing transportation costs, and reducing the smooth and timely movement of goods across different regions.
The Indian Rupee Fell to Its Lowest Value Ever Recorded :
Throughout 2025, the Indian rupee remained under continuous pressure and steadily weakened, touching multiple record lows against the U.S. dollar. It slipped beyond the symbolic ₹90-per-dollar mark for the first time and closed the year among its poorest
annual performances in recent years, settling at around ₹89.87 per dollar. The depreciation was largely caused by persistent foreign
capital outflows, widening trade deficits, elevated tariff levels, weak investment inflows, and the absence of a significant trade agreement between India and the United States.
- Annual decline: In 2025, the currency fell by approximately 4.7%, marking its sharpest yearly decline in the past three years.
- RBI policy shift: The Reserve Bank of India moved toward a more flexible exchange-rate approach, allowing the currency’s value to be shaped by market forces instead of actively defending a specific level.
Dilution of MGNREGA
In 2025, the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) became the subject of policy debates focusing on changes in funding rules, eligibility requirements, and wage payment systems. Critics claimed that reductions in budgetary support and shifts in government priorities weakened the programme’s impact, thereby limiting its role as a crucial safety net for rural employment.
Global Hunger Index (GHI)
In the 2025 Global Hunger Index, India placed 102nd among 123 countries, receiving a score of 25.8, which puts it in the “serious” hunger category. Even though India is one of the world’s largest food-producing nations, it continues to struggle with widespread hunger. Problems such as child wasting, child stunting, and undernourishment remain significant, particularly among rural communities and economically disadvantaged groups.
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report, which examined 109 countries, found that approximately 1.1 billion people—equivalent to 18.3% of the global population included in the study—are living in severe multidimensional poverty. This means they face simultaneous deprivations in critical areas such as health, education, and basic living standards. Looking at the regional distribution, more than 83% of those experiencing multidimensional poverty reside in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Regarding India, the country has made notable progress in reducing multidimensional poverty. Its MPI poverty rate now stands at around 16.4%, based on the most recent comparable data. This represents a significant decline compared to earlier levels, which were 55.1% in 2005–06. However, despite this progress, certain areas and communities in India continue to experience persistent deprivation.
Indian Passport Power
According to the Henley Passport Index for 2025, the Indian passport has dropped in its global ranking, now standing at around 85th place. This ranking indicates how many countries Indian citizens can visit either without a visa or by obtaining a visa upon arrival. Essentially, it measures the ease of international travel and the strength of diplomatic relationships.
The trend shows that the travel freedom associated with the Indian passport has weakened compared to previous years, highlighting increasing difficulties for Indian citizens in terms of global mobility and international access.
