World’s most corrupt countries ranked, India’s position revealed

Denmark has once again claimed the title of the least corrupt country globally, as reported by the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International. Following closely are Finland, Singapore, and New Zealand.

The CPI serves as an essential barometer, measuring public sector corruption worldwide on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

In an analysis of 180 countries, India slipped to the 96th spot, dropping three places from its rank last year.

India's overall CPI score has steadily declined over the past few years, scoring 40 in 2022, 39 in 2023, and now 38 in 2024. Among its neighbors, Pakistan ranked 135th, Sri Lanka 121st, Bangladesh 149th, and China 76th.

Several influential nations witnessed their worst CPI performance in over a decade. The United States fell from 24th to 28th position, with its score dipping from 69 to 65. France and Germany also saw declines, with France dropping four points to a score of 67 and slumping five places to 25th, while Germany shed three points to 75, falling six spots to 15th — tying with Canada.

Mexico experienced a five-point drop to 26, criticized for inaction on major corruption cases. Russia, continuing its downward trajectory, lost four more points, standing at 22. The report attributes Russia's continued decline to the increase in authoritarian practices since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Despite Ukraine's score decreasing by one point to 35, progress in judicial independence and high-level corruption prosecutions was noted.

At the bottom of the list, South Sudan replaced Somalia as the country perceived to be most corrupt, scoring just eight points. Somalia followed closely with nine, along with Venezuela at 10, and Syria at 12.

Transparency International highlighted that global corruption remains a critical issue, with stagnation or deterioration noted in 148 countries since 2012. The report underscores corruption's detrimental impact on efforts to combat climate change, emphasizing that a lack of transparency and accountability can lead to misappropriation of climate funds and hinder policy progress.

"Corruption directly obstructs initiatives to tackle the climate crisis, resulting in environmental damage and misallocation of funds meant to aid vulnerable populations," the report notes. It warns of the risks posed by "undue influence" from private sectors and calls for climate action to be safeguarded against corruption to enhance its effectiveness.

The report also criticizes nations with high CPI scores that, despite having the means to drive global anti-corruption efforts, often prioritize fossil-fuel interests and host financial hubs attractive to illicit funds.

Transparency International stresses the urgent need for international and national commitment to combat corruption, underscoring its role in undermining democracy, causing instability, and violating human rights. The report calls for concrete actions to counteract the corruption trends identified, warning that failing to do so jeopardizes the pursuit of a peaceful, free, and sustainable world.