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Democratic Backsliding in India: Why Some Scholars Say “Democracy Is Dying” | Analysis & Evidence

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Democratic Backsliding in India: Why Some Scholars Say “Democracy Is Dying” | Analysis & Evidence

Introduction

India has long been regarded as the world’s largest democracy. However, in recent years, a growing body of academic literature has raised serious concerns about democratic backsliding in the country. Scholars, policy institutions, and global democracy indices increasingly argue that while elections continue to be held, core democratic norms and institutions are weakening.This article provides a comprehensive overview of the debate on whether India’s democracy is “dying”, drawing directly from leading academic and policy sources, including the Journal of Democracy, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Cambridge University Press, and research by Milan Vaishnav.

Understanding Democratic Backsliding

Democratic backsliding refers to the gradual erosion of democratic quality rather than a sudden collapse. Unlike traditional authoritarian takeovers, modern backsliding often occurs through:

  • Legal and constitutional changes
  • Executive dominance
  • Weakening of institutional checks
  • Constriction of civil liberties

As Maya Tudor explains in Why India’s Democracy Is Dying, backsliding today is typically incremental, legalistic, and internally justified, making it harder to detect and resist (Source: https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why-indias-democracy-is-dying/ ).

Electoral Continuity vs Democratic Quality

One of the central arguments in the literature is that elections alone do not define democracy. India continues to conduct large-scale, competitive elections, but democracy also requires:

  • Freedom of expression
  • Independent institutions
  • Fair political competition
  • Protection of minority rights

The Journal of Democracy article notes that India increasingly resembles an “electoral democracy with declining liberal content”, where procedural elections coexist with reduced civil liberties (Source: https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why-indias-democracy-is-dying/ ).Global democracy indices such as V-Dem and Freedom House have reflected this shift, downgrading India’s democratic status due to declining press freedom and political pluralism.

Legislative Capture and Executive Dominance

A major driver of democratic backsliding in India is what scholars describe as legislative capture. According to the Carnegie Endowment’s 2025 analysis, the concentration of power in the executive has weakened parliamentary oversight and deliberation (Source: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/03/legislative-capture-in-india-is-democracy-back-from-the-brink ).Key findings include:

  • A sharp decline in the number of bills reviewed by parliamentary committees
  • Reduced space for opposition scrutiny
  • Faster passage of major legislation with limited debate

Even after electoral setbacks, the structural advantages of incumbency continue to favor executive dominance, making democratic recovery difficult.

Institutional Erosion and Accountability Deficits

Democratic backsliding in India is also marked by weakening horizontal accountability, meaning reduced checks on executive power by other institutions.The Journal of Democracy highlights concerns related to:

  • Reduced legislative scrutiny
  • Increasing pressure on independent institutions
  • Growing use of legal mechanisms against dissenters

(Source: https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why-indias-democracy-is-dying/ )Judicial independence remains formally intact, but debates over judicial appointments, case listings, and delays have raised concerns about institutional autonomy.

India in the Global Context of Democratic Backsliding

India’s experience is not isolated. In Global Challenges to Democracy, published by Cambridge University Press, Milan Vaishnav situates India within a broader global trend where democracies erode from within rather than collapse outright (Source: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/global-challenges-to-democracy/backsliding-in-india/A0F266147D72B969067593337962800C ).Vaishnav argues that India represents a case of “incremental democratic erosion”, where:

  • Democratic institutions remain operational
  • Norms of restraint and tolerance weaken
  • Executive power expands at the cost of accountability

Is India Still a Democracy?

The academic debate does not claim that India has become a full authoritarian state. Rather, scholars argue that it is transitioning toward a hybrid or illiberal democratic model.In his detailed working paper, Milan Vaishnav emphasizes that India still retains important democratic features, including competitive elections, but warns that continued erosion could make reversal increasingly difficult (Source: https://milanvaishnav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/backsliding_in_india-final.pdf ).

Can Democratic Backsliding Be Reversed?

Unlike military coups or constitutional breakdowns, democratic backsliding is potentially reversible. Scholars identify several corrective forces:

  • Electoral accountability
  • Judicial independence
  • Civil society mobilization
  • Free and independent media

However, sustained recovery depends on restoring democratic norms, not just institutional procedures.

Conclusion

The question of whether “India’s democracy is dying” does not have a simple yes-or-no answer. What the evidence clearly shows is a measurable decline in democratic quality, marked by executive dominance, legislative capture, and weakened accountability.As documented by the Journal of Democracy, Carnegie Endowment, Cambridge University Press, and Milan Vaishnav, India today stands at a democratic crossroads. Whether this backsliding continues or is reversed will depend on the resilience of institutions, political competition, and public commitment to democratic values.

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