India Slips to 96th Position in Corruption Perceptions Index Rankings, Overall Score Drops

New Delhi: A Transparency International report released on Tuesday (February 11) ranked India at 96 out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2024, with its overall score dropping a point to 38.

Back in 2023 and 2022, the overall score of India was 39 and 40, respectively. India’s rank in 2023 was 93.

China was ranked 76 in the report. Among other neighbours of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were ranked 135 and 121, respectively.

Denmark topped the list of being the least-corrupt nation, followed by Finland and Singapore, revealed the Transparency International report.

The CPI Index ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, where “zero” is highly corrupt and “100” is very clean.

The report also says that corruption is a major threat to climate action as it hinders progress in reducing emissions and adapting to the unavoidable effects of global heating.

“Huge numbers of people around the world suffer severe consequences of global heating, as funds intended to help countries cut greenhouse gas emissions and protect vulnerable populations are stolen or misused. At the same time, corruption in the form of undue influence obstructs policies aimed at addressing the climate crisis and leads to environmental damage,” the report said.

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