Singapore was the fourth least corrupt country in the world while India ranked 80th among 180 countries and territories in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) prepared by Transparency International.
The CPI, released at the WEF 2020 in Davos, ranked countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people.
Denmark and New Zealand have cornered the top spot, followed by Finland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland. The United Kingdom was in 12th and United States in the 23rd spot.
With a score of 41, India is at the 80th spot. The rank is also shared by China, Benin, Ghana and Morocco. Neighbouring Pakistan is ranked at the 120th place.
This year's analysis shows corruption is more pervasive in countries where big money can flow freely into electoral campaigns and where governments listen only to the voices of wealthy or well-connected individuals, Transparency International said.
According to the non-government group's report, even in democracies such as Australia and India, unfair and opaque political financing and undue influence in decision-making and lobbying by powerful corporate interest groups result in stagnation or decline in control of corruption.
Transparency International Chair Delia Ferreira Rubio said governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems.
