(MENAFN) According to a top adviser to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian authorities are set to push back against country rankings compiled by global agencies that appear to promote the interests of a small group of individuals with a specific real-world agenda. The recent World Press Freedom Index, published annually by Reporters Without Borders, has ranked India lower than both Afghanistan and Pakistan in terms of press freedom, a development that has raised concerns within the country. Similarly, India has been placed below Pakistan and Bhutan in an academic freedom index led by the V-Dem Institute of Sweden.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Modi's Economic Advisory Council, highlighted that these indices are being created by a "tiny group of think tanks in the North Atlantic" that are financially supported by various agencies, thereby suggesting a potential bias in their rankings. Sanyal emphasized that the Indian government has already begun raising this issue at global forums. He further stated that these rankings have more than just a narrative-building effect; they also have direct implications on trade, investment, and other activities.
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