The global watchdog also pointed out that as the country near elections, significant movement in its CPI score could be seen.

India jumped by three points to 78 as it improved its ranking on a global index in 2018, a corruption perception index showed. Even as the improvement is slow, India moved from 40 in 2017 to 41 in 2018, the Transparency International said in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2018. India’s close neighbours China and Pakistan ranked 87 and 117, respectively on the list.

The global watchdog also pointed out that as the country near elections, significant movement in its CPI score could be seen.

Anti-corruption movement

“Despite spectacular public mobilisation in 2011, where citizens demanded that the government take action against corruption and advocated for the passage of the comprehensive Jan Lokpal Act, these efforts ultimately fizzled and fell flat, with little to no movement on the ground to build the specialist anti-corruption infrastructure required,” it said.

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Denmark tops list

Denmark and New Zealand with scores of 88 and 87, respectively are the countries on the top of the list. With scores of 10, 13 and 13, respectively, Somalia, Syria and South Sudan are at the bottom of the list. Overall, over two-thirds of countries score below 50 in the 2018 CPI, with an average score of only 43.

“Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage,” the report added.

US slips

The US has slipped four points since last year. It is for the first time since 2011 that the US fell outside of the top 20 countries on the CPI.

“A four point drop in the CPI score is a red flag and comes at a time when the US is experiencing threats to its system of checks and balances, as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power,” study added.