Political Polarization Score in India
India: Political Polarization Score was 2.08 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.08
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
23rd
of 174 countries
All-time high
2.19
in 2023
All-time low
-1.28
in 1914
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Political Polarization Score in India, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
India recorded 2.08 for political polarization score in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political polarization score in India peaked at 2.19 in 2023 and was at its lowest, -1.28, in 1914.
India ranks 23rd of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Political Polarization Score in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.04 | — |
| 1901 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.04 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.78 | -25.0% |
| 1911 | -0.78 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.78 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.78 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.28 | +64.6% |
| 1915 | -1.28 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.28 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.28 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.28 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.04 | -19.1% |
| 1920 | -0.726 | -30.1% |
| 1921 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.726 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | 1.22 | -268.2% |
| 1941 | 1.22 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 1.22 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 1.22 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1.22 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 1.22 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2.14 | +75.0% |
| 1947 | 1.9 | -10.9% |
| 1948 | -0.323 | -117.0% |
| 1949 | -0.323 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.553 | +71.2% |
| 1951 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.52 | -6.0% |
| 1969 | -0.52 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.465 | -10.6% |
| 1971 | 0.099 | -121.3% |
| 1972 | 0.099 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.099 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.339 | +242.4% |
| 1975 | 0.781 | +130.4% |
| 1976 | 0.781 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.781 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.125 | -116.0% |
| 1979 | -0.125 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.178 | +42.4% |
| 1981 | -0.178 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.178 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.178 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.634 | -456.2% |
| 1985 | 0.351 | -44.6% |
| 1986 | -0.051 | -114.5% |
| 1987 | -0.051 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.462 | +805.9% |
| 1989 | -0.413 | -10.6% |
| 1990 | -0.184 | -55.4% |
| 1991 | -0.184 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.227 | -223.4% |
| 1993 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.264 | +16.3% |
| 1997 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.264 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.224 | -184.8% |
| 2001 | 0.23 | -202.7% |
| 2002 | 0.018 | -92.2% |
| 2003 | -0.207 | -1250.0% |
| 2004 | -0.207 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.421 | +103.4% |
| 2006 | -0.421 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.421 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.421 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.421 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.247 | -41.3% |
| 2011 | -0.247 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.142 | -42.5% |
| 2013 | 0.081 | -157.0% |
| 2014 | 1.52 | +1782.7% |
| 2015 | 1.72 | +12.9% |
| 2016 | 1.9 | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 1.85 | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.87 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 1.87 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.51 | -19.5% |
| 2021 | 1.5 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 1.51 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 2.19 | +45.2% |
| 2024 | 2.08 | -5.1% |
| 2025 | 2.08 | -0.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.08 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -0.095. (45 countries reporting)
- India's 2.08 is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.1045, 19.9× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.04 | -1.04 | -1.04 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.06 | -1.28 | -0.78 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.726 | -0.726 | -0.726 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.726 | -0.726 | -0.726 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.07 | -0.323 | 2.14 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.553 | -0.553 | -0.553 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.5464 | -0.553 | -0.52 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2264 | -0.465 | 0.781 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.0704 | -0.462 | 0.634 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1596 | -0.184 | 0.264 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2495 | -0.421 | 0.23 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.02 | -0.247 | 1.9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.81 | 1.5 | 2.19 | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is political polarization score in India?
- Political polarization score in India was 2.08 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest political polarization score recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 2.19 in 2023.
- What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.28 in 1914.
- How does India rank for political polarization score?
- India ranks 23rd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political polarization score rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Political Polarization Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which society is divided into hostile political camps, where political differences undermine social relationships and discourage interaction across ideological lines.