Top 10 Best And Worst Countries For Press Freedom (2025): Know Where India Ranks

Worldwide Press Freedom:  There has been a significant decline in global press freedom. For the first time, journalism is rated as POOR in half of the world’s countries. Additionally, the overall environment for independent reporting has been classified as a DIFFICULT SITUATION. Journalism across the globe has been tremendously affected, mainly due to economic factors, like the concentration of ownership, advertiser intimidation, and unclear or inadequate public funding have become so adverse that all of it is impacting the independence and diversity of media outlets globally. To find out more, here’s a list of the top 10 best and worst countries for press freedom in 2025, along with India’s position as per the RSF – World Press Freedom Index. 

Which Is The Best Country For Press Freedom In 2025? 

Norway is the best country for press freedom in 2025, with a global score of 92.31. All thanks to its strong legal protections for reporters, an organisational and independent media environment, along with a powerful tradition of democratic governance. Norwegian journalists enjoy high degrees of security, limited censorship, and the ability to report without undue influence from economic or political forces. This guarantees that Norwegian media can function autonomously, which offers citizens credible and diverse information.

List Of Top 10 Countries With The Best Press Freedom In 2025

Which Is The Worst Country For Press Freedom In 2025? 

On the other hand, Eritrea is the worst country in terms of press freedom in 2025, with a score of only 11.32. The Eritrean government has complete control over the media. Additionally, the nation exercises strict censorship. Here, Independent reporting does not exist in practice, and journalists who try to report independently are imprisoned, harassed, or forced into exile. The Eritrean situation best represents the risks of state-owned media monopolies and the total elimination of free expression, making it the most repressive place for journalists to work in the world this year.

List Of Bottom 10 Countries with the Worst Press Freedom in 2025: 

What Is India’s Press Freedom Rank In 2025? 

India has risen to the 151st rank among 180 countries, with a global score of 32.96 in 2025, in the context of press freedom. The report highlights the persistent concerns like violence against the press, abuse of sedition and defamation laws, and rising censorship, especially on digital news platforms, all of which are the reasons for the decline in media standards in a nation of billions. 

Alongside, the ownership of media in India is strongly concentrated and frequently associated with political or corporate motives, which limits the diversity of opinion and editorial autonomy. Journalists reporting sensitive issues-especially political, religious, or conflict areas like Kashmir-are still exposed to immense threats to their liberty and security.

India Vs Its Neighbours Press Freedom Rank In 2025:

The 2025 index further observes that India's press freedom ranking is still lower than most of its South Asian neighbours, such as Nepal and the Maldives. The situation highlights the core problems of the country's media environment. 

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