5 min readMay 25, 2026 07:04 AM IST First published on: May 25, 2026 at 06:24 AM ISTThe Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng opened a can of worms by sanctimoniously preaching press freedom and human rights to India. There were several takeaways from the ensuing brouhaha. The Ministry of External Affairs’ long-winded discourse on India’s history and civilisation in response to the question at hand as to why Norway should trust us simply digressed, unnecessarily making a mountain out of a molehill.Lyng’s query also drew attention to the fact that our articulate PM opts not to field questions from the media, either at home or abroad. Still, that is not exactly a major media freedom issue, as is being made out. Other world leaders also shy away from speaking extempore.AdvertisementBut what rankled many Indians was Lyng piously quoting Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 Press Freedom Index, which ranked India a lowly 157th. It’s true that standards of press freedom have plummeted of late. Even then, can a report card which places countries such as Burundi, Hong Kong, Singapore, Congo, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Kuwait and Jordan above India be taken seriously? Middle Eastern countries are ruled mostly by despotic monarchs, where a whisper against the government can lead to instant deportation or imprisonment. Indian residents are mortally afraid of even sending a WhatsApp message back home mentioning drone strikes in their neighbourhood. Countries once part of the former Soviet Union, such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, inherited autocratic systems of secret police and detentions — these are not yet dismantled. Business-oriented Singapore views the press more as an arm to enhance nation-building than a medium to question the system.A safe environment for journalists to work in is one of the key criteria in judging a country’s standing. Yet Israel, which according to the Committee to Protect Journalists was responsible for the death of 84 journalists in the line of duty last year, is ranked much higher than India, where the committee lists just one journalist’s unnatural death. The United States received a fairly respectable score of 64, though criticisms from some MAGA-aligned and heartland media outlets of President Donald Trump’s erratic and allegedly unconstitutional actions and perceived attempts to enrich his family have been limited. The most trenchant criticism in the US comes from the late-night show comedians. CBS recently ended popular comedian Stephen Colbert’s show after 33 years, citing falling ad revenues. Trump publicly rejoiced at Colbert’s ouster, reportedly the price for CBS’s parent company, Paramount, being safeguarded from facing trouble at the hands of the government.Modi detractors who cite India’s low rating as a consequence of his dictatorial policies will be disappointed to learn that even prior to the current dispensation, India consistently got low media freedom rankings. In February 2014, India was ranked 140. One assumes that a key indicator of a country’s robust press is the plurality of opinions openly expressed on different media platforms. An illustrative example was last year’s Operation Sindoor, where there were several voices on just how the four-day war with Pakistan was unfolding, from chest-thumping journalists to cynical publicly aired assessments that the Pakistan-China combine had downed five Rafale jets. Neither extreme position was accurate, but it reflected the wide range of discourse. In Pakistan’s military dictatorship, where its most popular leader is still in jail, the media almost unanimously stuck to the government’s story that Pakistan was victorious, even though satellite images of bombed military air bases released by India suggested otherwise.AdvertisementThis article is not an endorsement of the Indian government’s ham-handed media policy, but simply questions Reporters Without Borders’ own biases. Otherwise, why would it elevate military dictatorships and feudal overlords, from countries where popular political opponents and scribes are often jailed, above a functioning democracy, however imperfect? There is, perhaps, a prejudice against nations not in conformity with the outfit’s foreign-policy goals, or inherent racism, as well as prejudice against countries with non-Abrahamic religious majorities. The recent narrative of the Cockroach Janta Party social media account going viral in a day illustrates both India’s strength and weakness. The overwhelming support for the post criticising the Chief Justice’s comments testifies to the openness of our society. The toxic trolling and the X account being withheld in India — on a government request citing security concerns — reflect the growing danger that India could slip to 157th place even in an unbiased ranking if such heavy-handed actions continue unchecked.The writer is contributing editor, The Indian Express