Published Paper Details:

India's post-independence democratic trajectory has long been celebrated as an extraordinary experiment in self-governance within a highly diverse, deeply stratified society. However, the first quarter of the twenty-first century has brought with it an array of structural strains, institutional recalibrations, and normative contests that compel a sober re-examination of the democratic health of the world's most populous nation-state. This article undertakes a systematic introspective analysis of recent trends shaping Indian democracy, with particular attention to the period from 2014 to 2024. Drawing on a mixed theoretical framework that incorporates Dahl's conception of polyarchy, Levitsky and Zi blatt's theory of democratic erosion, and Schedler's electoral authoritarianism paradigm, the study examines five critical dimensions: electoral integrity and the consolidation of party dominance; institutional independence, especially the judiciary, Election Commission, and investigative agencies; civil liberties, freedom of expression, and media pluralism; the relationship between majoritarianism and minority rights; and the resilience demonstrated by democratic forces in the 2024 general elections. Empirical evidence is drawn from V-Dem indices, Freedom House assessments, Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index data, and legislative records. The findings indicate that while India retains core features of electoral democracy, a measurable erosion of liberal-democratic norms-particularly in civil liberties, media freedom, and institutional autonomy-has occurred, warranting classification as a competitive authoritarian regime rather than a full democracy. Simultaneously, the 2024 electoral outcome signals residual democratic resilience and the continuing vitality of citizen agency. The paper concludes by mapping pathways for democratic renewal and highlights the theoretical implications of the Indian case for the comparative study of democratic backsliding in the Global South.