How does India fare in press freedom as it drops 6 ranks to 157th in 2026?

India has ranked 157th in the World Press Freedom Index 2026, down six ranks from the previous year. Meanwhile, China ranks 178th, Iran ranks 177th, Afghanistan ranks 175th, Russia ranks 172nd, Pakistan ranks 153rd, Bangladesh ranks 152nd, and Bhutan ranks 150th. The index claimed India's political and social indicators pulled its ranking down.