India Climbs Three Spots On 2022 Global Peace Index. Iceland Most Peaceful

Global Peace Index 2022: The countries were judged on the basis on 23 parameters, including domestic and international conflict. Here is how US, UK and India's neighbouring countries fared.

India has moved up three places to rank 135 among 163 countries on the 2022 Global Peace Index, according to a report by international think-tank the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). The index placed India in the "low" section in terms of peace. The countries were judged on the basis on 23 parameters, including domestic and international conflict, safety and security in society, and the degree of militarisation.

According to the report, India saw an improvement of 1.4 per cent in overall peacefulness over the past year, driven by an improvement in the "ongoing conflict" domain. However, the country saw an uptick in the violent crime and perceptions of criminality indicators.

A weaker economy, increases in political instability following the Covid-19 pandemic, and continued communal violence were other factors citied in the report behind India's peace ranking.

According to the index, Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. Iceland is followed by New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and Austria. Seven of the ten countries at the top of the GPI are in Europe. Turkey is the only country in this region to be ranked outside the top half of the index.

The US, at 129th spot, recorded its lowest peacefulness rank since 2008, with the report citing "civil unrest" continuing to be the "primary driver of the deterioration". The UK is up two positions to rank at 34.

For the fifth consecutive year, Afghanistan is the least peaceful country, followed by Yemen, Syria, Russia and South Sudan. 

Among South Asian nations, Bhutan topped the peace index securing 19th rank. Bhutan is followed by Nepal (73), Sri Lanka (90) and Bangladesh (96). Pakistan has been ranked 147th on the index.

Two of the five countries that saw the largest deteriorations in peacefulness were Russia and the Ukraine. The report noted that peace across the world had declined to the lowest level in 15 years amid uncertainty over post-Covid economic recovery and Russia's war in Ukraine.

The report said the rise in food and fuel costs had increased food insecurity and political instability globally, especially in south Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The average level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.3 per cent in 2021, the report said. Levels of political terror, bitter bilateral relations, refugees and internally displaced people are at their worst since the inception of the index in 2008.