Global Peace Index 2023

• 12 Jul 2023

Recently, the 17^th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) was released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

The key points about the report are:

• This widely recognized index ranks 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness.
• It aims to present the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies.
• It measures the state of peace across three domains: 1) Societal safety and security 2) Ongoing domestic and international conflict and 3) Militarisation.

The key findings of the report are:

• Global Deterioration: The average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated by 0.42%.
• Most Peaceful Country: Iceland retains its position as the most peaceful country in the world, a title it has held since 2008.
• Least Peaceful Country: Afghanistan remains the least peaceful country in the world for the eighth consecutive year.
• India's Rank: India has improved its ranking to the 126^th spot, two positions higher than the previous year.
• Peacefulness Improvement in India: India has experienced an overall improvement of 3.5% in peacefulness.
• Factors Contributing to India's Improvement: The improvement in India's peacefulness is attributed to reductions in violent crime, improved relations with neighbouring countries, and decreased political instability.
• The decrease in geopolitical tensions with China and reduced social unrest have positively influenced India's political instability indicator.
• Ukraine and Russia: The war in Ukraine has had a significant impact, with Ukraine experiencing the largest deterioration in peacefulness and Russia the fifth largest.
• Other Countries: Haiti, Mali, and Israel also saw significant deteriorations in peacefulness.