Freedom in the World reports assess the level of political rights and civil liberties in a given geographical area, regardless of whether they are affected by the state, nonstate actors, or foreign powers. Related, disputed, or occupied territories are sometimes assessed separately if they meet certain criteria, including distinct conditions for political rights and civil liberties and boundaries that are sufficiently stable to allow year-on-year comparisons. For more information, see the report methodology and FAQ.

Control of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since 1948, and Indian-administered Kashmir long enjoyed substantial autonomy under India’s constitution. However, the region’s autonomous status was revoked in 2019, and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was reconstituted as two union territories under the direct control of the Indian central government. The move stripped residents of many of their previous political rights, and civil liberties were curtailed to quell public opposition. While one of the union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, held legislative elections in 2024, Indian authorities as of 2025 had yet to comply with 2023 Supreme Court instructions to restore its status as a state. The other union territory, Ladakh, has no elected executive or legislature. Indian security forces are frequently accused of human rights violations in the region, but perpetrators are rarely punished. Separatist and jihadist militants continue to wage a protracted insurgency.

• In April, a group of gunmen killed 26 tourists in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir. The attackers reportedly targeted Hindus, asking the victims to identify their religion before opening fire. Indian authorities alleged that the massacre had been directed by a Pakistan-based terrorist organization, and the two countries consequently engaged in a four-day exchange of missile and drone strikes in May. The terrorist attack also prompted tighter restrictions on civil liberties in Jammu and Kashmir during the year, as authorities carried out mass arrests, arbitrary detentions, and home demolitions; blocked numerous social media accounts, including those of news outlets; banned 25 books; and limited access to virtual private networks (VPNs), among other actions.
• In September, Mehraj Malik—the only member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from the Indian opposition Aam Aadmi Party—was arrested for allegedly disturbing public order and ordered to serve a year in preventive detention without trial under the Public Safety Act. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had limited executive powers in the union territory, joined opposition groups in condemning the move, arguing that it undermined the rights of elected representatives. Protests in Malik’s district led to dozens of arrests and violent clashes with police, causing authorities there to ban assemblies of four or more people, suspend telecommunications services, and limit public movement.
• Also in September, police used live ammunition against protesters calling for statehood in the union territory of Ladakh after the demonstrations became violent. Four people were killed, dozens were injured, and a number of properties were damaged. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had helped lead the largely peaceful protest movement in recent years, was arrested and placed in preventive detention under the National Security Act; the central government also canceled the license of his educational organization for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which regulates foreign funding of nongovernmental organizations.
• The central government, in an attempt to address demands for greater autonomy in Ladakh, had issued a package of regulations in June that aimed to protect local languages, set quotas for local residents in civil service jobs, and established a one-third minimum for women in the territory’s elected district-level development councils.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2026 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see the reports from the 2024 and 2025 editions of Freedom in the World.