NT Verdict
Misleading
The Claim Being Checked
“India has improved its Ease of Doing Business rank to 63rd globally”
Said by
Ministry of Commerce – DPIIT official communication
Government of India, DPIIT
Where
Official press release and social media posts
When
Jan 15, 2026
NT Verdict
Misleading
Accurate data used in a way that creates a false impression.
What NT Found
The World Bank officially discontinued Ease of Doing Business rankings in September 2021 after an internal data integrity investigation. India's rank of 63 refers to the last published 2020 ranking. The government continues citing this five-year-old, discontinued figure as if it represents current standing.
How We Verified This
Step 1 — Claim Flagged
Claim attributed to Ministry of Commerce – DPIIT official communication (Government of India, DPIIT) via Official press release and social media posts on Jan 15, 2026. Assigned to fact-checker Radhika Singh for verification.
Evidence 1
World Bank discontinued EoDB in Sep 2021 following IFC data manipulation probe
Evidence 2
India's last actual EoDB rank: 63/190 (EoDB 2020 report)
Evidence 3
No EoDB ranking published for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025
Evidence 4
World Bank's replacement: Business Ready (B-READY) 2024 — uses different methodology
Evidence 5
B-READY 2024 does not provide a comparable ranked list
Evidence 6
World Bank explicitly warns against using post-2021 projections or extrapolations
Final Verdict
Misleading — Accurate data used in a way that creates a false impression.
Sources Consulted
4 sourcesWorld Bank – Statement on Doing Business discontinuation, Sep 2021
official
World Bank Business Ready (B-READY) Report 2024
database
Ministry of Commerce DPIIT EODB correspondence
official
IMF Article IV Consultation 2026 – India investment climate
database
How we verified this: NT fact-checkers consulted primary government data, independent surveys, and expert analyses. All verdicts undergo a two-editor review before publication. We link every claim to a primary source — not summaries or secondary reporting. Read our full methodology →
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