India has been ranked as a “high-risk” country in the inaugural Global Torture Index released by the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), highlighting widespread human rights abuses by law enforcement agencies across the nation. The report cites systemic torture, custodial violence, and a lack of accountability within the police forces as key concerns.
The Global Torture Index, developed to measure and expose government involvement in torture globally, places India among countries where torture is not only common but is also allegedly practiced with impunity. The findings are based on testimonies from human rights advocates, legal experts, and victims across 198 countries.
According to the HRMI report, torture in India is often used as a routine method of interrogation, disproportionately targeting marginalized communities including Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and political dissidents. The report also pointed out the lack of implementation of the UN Convention Against Torture, which India signed but has yet to ratify.
Rights groups in India have responded by renewing calls for police reform, an independent accountability mechanism, and the ratification of the anti-torture convention. Activists argue that without structural changes, India’s international human rights commitments will remain superficial.
