India evaluates 28 global indices, finds metrics in some flawed
Image for representation
Synopsis India is scrutinising the methodologies of 28 global indices, including the Democracy Index and Global Hunger Index, due to concerns over flawed assessments. The Ministry of Statistics is analysing sample sizes and models used in cross-country comparisons. Preliminary findings reveal issues with scoring systems, prompting the government to send inputs to relevant departments. India is closely looking at the methodologies used by 28 global indices such as the Democracy Index, Network Readiness Index, Global Hunger Index to track its performance vis-a-vis other countries, a government official told ET.
ADVERTISEMENT New Delhi has termed the methodology followed in some of these indices, including the Global Hunger Index, as flawed.
"We are looking at these indices to identify any imperfections or drawbacks," the official said.
The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) is analysing the methodologies used by international bodies that conduct cross-country comparisons, including sample sizes and models.The indices under review are the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Network Readiness Index by the Portulans Institute, the Global Hunger Index (GHI) by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, and the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute, and Climate Action Network International.The official said preliminary findings have highlighted issues around scoring system and methodology. The MOSPI has already sent inputs to the concerned departments and ministries, the official added.
ADVERTISEMENT A paper co-authored by Sanjiv Sanyal, member, Economic Advisory Council to PM, had in 2023 highlighted that India's poor performance on specific international indicators despite rising per capita income was due to methodological issues.In another working paper the Prime Minister's economic advisory council said there were serious problems with the methodology used in these perception-based indices-Freedom in World Index, V-DEM indices, and EIU Democracy Index.
ADVERTISEMENT
Indices under scannerFor instance, in 2024, India was placed 41 out of 167 countries and categorised as a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index. In the 2024 edition, India was ranked 105 out of 127 countries on the GHI and classified under the 'serious' hunger category.
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)
Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.
NEXT STORY
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Who really owns Pakistan's Nur Khan airbase? Defence analyst sets off controversy; alleges US control
A shocking claim by a Pakistani security expert has raised alarms about the relationship between the US and Pakistan and the extent of their military cooperation. Imtiaz Gul, a defence analyst, alleged that the strategically important Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi is 'under American control.' These remarks come just days after India targeted multiple airbases in Pakistan, during a precision strike, responding to the Pahalgam terror attack. In a widely shared video, Gul said that even senior Pakistan army officers are not allowed to interfere in the operations at the strategically important airbase. American airplanes at the site He said that many times American aircrafts could be seen at the base, though no one is aware of what may be inside or any information about their operations or cargo. The two nations might be having an undisclosed agreement triggering concerns over the country's military transparency, Gul suggested, quoted by ET. Why is the Nur Khan base important? This airbase, in particular, is crucial for Pakistan, as it is located near Islamabad and Rawalpindi. These twin cities are home to the Pakistan army's general headquarters and the strategic plans division, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal. The base is considered a central hub for Pakistan's military air transport and air mobility command. India's strike at Nur During Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory mission in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India reportedly targeted the Nur Khan airbase. The Operation reportedly left the airbase damaged, which further raised concerns over its regional security. Despite the growing uproar, Pakistan's military and government have remained tight-lipped. There has been no official denial or confirmation of Gul's claims, fuelling speculation about covert military arrangements between Islamabad and Washington. The situation has left many in Pakistan questioning who really controls one of the country's most critical airbases and what it means for national security.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Two Sharp with ET: Trump's feud with Musk a warning bell for markets, RBI slashes Repo rate to 5.5%
In today's episode of Two Sharp with ET, Nisha Poddar decodes the once bromance, now bitter dynamic between US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, sending shivers of market volatility as government subsidies and projects lie on a thin thread of how the leaders address the situation. Musk last week received a warm farewell from the White House, but went all-out against the 'Big Beautiful' tax-spending bill of the Republicans. Trump said pulling EV subsidies make Musk 'go crazy,' and warned of cancelling relief. But Musk took it up a notch, threatening to decommission SpaceX's Dragon. Who will bite first in this battle of the feudal lords?The Reserve Bank of India cut the repo rate to 5.5% in a bold move to boost economic growth. While the 50 bps cut brings relief to borrowers with lower EMIs, it spells trouble for savers as banks slash fixed deposit and savings account interest rates. According to SBI Research, FD rates have dropped by 30–70 bps since February 2025, and savings rates have hit a floor of 2.70%. What does this mean for your money? Watch now for a quick breakdown. Show more Show less
Economic Times
18 hours ago
- Economic Times
Trump's new move could hammer India's factories, and wreck exports and jobs
Two Sharp with ET: Trump's 50% metal tariffs to hurt Indian exports?| RBI rate cut hopes lift Sensex At a rally in Pennsylvania last Friday, US President Donald Trump declared, 'We're going to bring it from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, the tariffs on steel into the United States of America. At 25 per cent, they can sort of get over that fence… At 50 per cent, they can no longer get over the fence.' True to his words, Trump signed a proclamation on Tuesday doubling tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to 50%, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for global trade, including India's export sector. The decision, which excludes the United Kingdom, took effect on June 4 and is seen as part of Trump's renewed 'America First' trade policy ahead of the upcoming election cycle. The UK was officially exempted from the tariffs following a meeting in Paris between British Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at the OECD summit. Also Read: 'Kill the Bill': Elon Musk declares war on Trump's big, beautiful tax and spending bill, warns that it will 'bankrupt America' India exported around $4.56 billion worth of steel, aluminium, and related products to the US in FY25, according to data from the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). These included: $587.5 million in iron and steel products $3.1 billion in articles of iron or steel (up 14.1 per cent year-on-year) $860 million in aluminium and related items Much of this output comes from small and medium-sized manufacturers concentrated in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, where job losses may become Ratings, in a note dated February 10, warned that Indian steel producers will face greater difficulty in exporting their products following the tariff hike. "Over the past 12 months, high steel imports into India have already dampened prices and earnings," said Hui Ting Sim, Assistant Vice President at Moody's. 'Indian producers are already struggling due to low-cost imports, and the doubled tariffs could worsen their situation,' noted the Aluminium Association of India (AAI).The Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC) also warned that the 50% tariffs could pose a serious threat to this key export segment. According to Business Today, EEPC Chairman Pankaj Chadha said, 'The proposed hike could jeopardise engineering exports worth around $5 billion.' Also Read: Under Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill, over 10 million more Americans projected to lose insurance He said that India should seek a waiver similar to the UK's, as part of its ongoing bilateral trade agreement (BTA) talks with the US. 'This may not be the right time for such unilateral tariffs, especially when BTA talks are underway. It could complicate negotiations,' he 2024, the largest steel exporters to the US were Canada ($7.7 billion), Brazil ($5 billion), and Mexico ($3.3 billion). Imports from China and India, on the other hand, stood at $550 million and $450 million, respectively. While India's share is small, it could become strategically exporters are bracing for revenue losses, everyday consumers could soon feel the impact. Higher input costs for products ranging from cars to refrigerators are expected to be passed on to cheap steel that can't enter America floods the Indian market, it could weaken pricing power for domestic producers and trigger volatility in construction and manufacturing, two key sectors.'It is important that India implements necessary trade measures proactively and in time. There is likely to be increased risk of trade diversion into India due to changing global tariffs, and India is very vulnerable due to strong domestic demand,' said Jayant Acharya, Joint Managing Director and CEO of JSW Steel, according to Dhar, Director and Vice President (Sales & Marketing) at AMNS India, added, 'We hope more protection will come for domestic industry. Every country is protecting its industry. India should also do that as long as it focuses on protecting itself from low-priced imports.'Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy played down the broader impact of the move on India. 'Minor impact will be there... A minor problem is there because we are not exporting in a big way. The only thing is, if the consignment, which is already on its way (to the US from India), reaches after 4 June, then there is some problem as they have to pay 50 per cent tariffs,' he said. Also Read: Apple and Alibaba's AI rollout in China delayed by Trump's trade war: Report Despite relatively low export volumes to the US compared with Canada and Mexico, Indian authorities have filed a formal notification at the World Trade Organization (WTO), indicating that retaliatory tariffs may be imposed on US imports if needed. Any such response would aim to match the value of US metal exports into India, currently estimated at around $2 mirrors India's move in 2019, when it imposed additional customs duties on 28 US products in retaliation for Washington's 2018 steel and aluminium tariffs. More than five years later, on July 3, 2023, those duties were lifted after the US removed tariffs on Indian metal imports, only for Trump to now reintroduce Srivastava of GTRI said, 'If Trump follows the same playbook, the return of tariffs on steel and aluminium could be used as leverage in trade negotiations... The latest move, if implemented, could lead to new trade disputes and retaliatory measures from affected countries.'The biggest concern is trade diversion. As countries such as South Korea and Vietnam face similar tariff barriers in the US, they may offload excess metal into India, resulting in a flood of cheap might seem beneficial to consumers in the short term but could severely harm domestic manufacturing, a major source of employment. If countries redirect their steel to India, it could distort local prices and introduce uncertainty in planning and costing, whether one is building infrastructure, assembling cars or manufacturing has been a net steel importer for two consecutive years. In FY25, imports rose 9.2% to 10.5 million tonnes, while exports dropped 27% to 6.3 million tonnes, reversing India's traditional trade surplus in steel. Also Read: Trump travel ban: US imposes entry ban on 12 nations, adds restrictions on 7 others This imbalance has affected domestic producers in several ways: Underutilised manufacturing capacity Margin erosion due to depressed global prices Risks to employment and future investment In response, the Indian government imposed a 12% provisional safeguard duty on flat steel products effective from 21 April 2025, to curb cheap imports and stabilise the domestic duty applies to a wide range of flat steel products including hot-rolled coils, cold-rolled coils and galvanised sheets. These are widely used in infrastructure, automobile manufacturing, shipbuilding, home appliances and heavy products had seen a sharp increase in imports from China, Vietnam and South Korea, often at prices well below the cost of production in India. T V Narendran, CEO of Tata Steel, warned that the financial health of the industry could deteriorate without timely action. 'If current trends continue, we will have to revise our investment plans and reassess our capex strategy,' he said. The tariff hike is viewed as a continuation of Trump's protectionist approach, rooted in national security concerns and efforts to preserve manufacturing jobs. According to the US government's Producer Price Index, steel prices have already increased by 16% since January imports accounting for roughly one-quarter of US steel consumption, mainly from Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, the effects are expected to ripple through global supply Fitch Ratings noted that Indian steelmakers could face pricing and demand pressures if major exporting countries begin redirecting surplus volumes to will now need to act quickly to protect their manufacturers and consumers while managing trade relations with the US to minimise the impact on their economies.
