1. Recent democracy indices, including the V-Dem Institute, have classified India as "one of the worst autocratisers", reflecting a downgraded democratic standing. Other assessments label India as only 'partly free' and an 'electoral autocracy'.
2. India plans to release its own democracy index to counter international criticisms and rating downgrades, as the government refutes these assessments.
3. Concerns over global democracy indices involve their methodology flaws, inadequate sample sizes, and a perceived cultural bias.
4. Indices use various data types like observational data, in-house coding, expert and representative surveys, each with their own approach to measuring democracy's health.
5. Criticisms of democracy indices include their subjectivity, the scope of countries surveyed, and ideological discrepancies. Yet, they are recognized for capturing important dynamics and trends in global democracy.
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