India, Feb. 12 -- Denmark has emerged as the least corrupt country in the world for the second year running, followed closely by Finland, Singapore, and New Zealand, according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International. India, however, saw a decline in its ranking, dropping to the 96th spot from 93rd last year, with a score of 38 out of 100.

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, as assessed by experts and businesspeople. The scale ranges from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). While Denmark scored a near-perfect 90, India's score of 38 underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the nation in combating corruption in its public ...