What is rule of law index in India?

Rule of law index in India was 0.397 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest rule of law index recorded in India?

The highest recorded value was 0.849 in 1935.

What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in India?

The lowest recorded value was 0.355 in 1789.

How does India rank for rule of law index?

India ranks 102nd out of 173 countries with data for 2025.

Is rule of law index rising or falling in India?

Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this India data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Rule of Law Index in India

Name: Rule of Law Index in India
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

India: Rule of Law Index was 0.397 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.397

Change on year

down 3.4%

World rank

102nd

of 173 countries

All-time high

0.849

in 1935

All-time low

0.355

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Rule of Law Index in India, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

India recorded 0.397 for rule of law index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 26.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in India peaked at 0.849 in 1935 and was at its lowest, 0.355, in 1789.

That places India 102nd out of 173 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.355	0.355	0.355	1
1790s	0.37	0.37	0.37	10
1800s	0.37	0.37	0.37	10
1810s	0.37	0.37	0.37	10
1820s	0.37	0.37	0.37	10
1830s	0.4312	0.37	0.472	10
1840s	0.472	0.472	0.472	10
1850s	0.5085	0.472	0.774	10
1860s	0.8172	0.774	0.828	10
1870s	0.828	0.828	0.828	10
1880s	0.828	0.828	0.828	10
1890s	0.828	0.828	0.828	10
1900s	0.806	0.806	0.806	10
1910s	0.815	0.815	0.815	10
1920s	0.815	0.815	0.815	10
1930s	0.832	0.815	0.849	10
1940s	0.8295	0.766	0.849	10
1950s	0.789	0.789	0.789	10
1960s	0.7564	0.698	0.789	10
1970s	0.6118	0.472	0.661	10
1980s	0.6357	0.621	0.642	10
1990s	0.5896	0.579	0.623	10
2000s	0.589	0.589	0.589	10
2010s	0.5611	0.501	0.606	10
2020s	0.4242	0.397	0.455	6

Countries ranked near India

99 Mali 0.421 compare
100 Gabon 0.416 compare
100 Thailand 0.416 compare
103 Saudi Arabia 0.396 compare
104 Cote d'Ivoire 0.395 compare
105 Paraguay 0.391 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for India

Spring temperature anomalies 0.8635 °C (2026)
Summer temperature anomalies 0.6189 °C (2026)
Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3046 °C (2025)
Winter temperature anomalies -0.2053 °C (2025)
Consumer price index 233.06 2010 = 100 (2025)
Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in India?: Rule of law index in India was 0.397 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in India?: The highest recorded value was 0.849 in 1935.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in India?: The lowest recorded value was 0.355 in 1789.
How does India rank for rule of law index?: India ranks 102nd out of 173 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in India?: Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this India data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Rule of Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the government complies with the law, courts are independent, laws transparent, justice accessible, corruption absent, and the bureaucracy is impartial.