In today’s increasingly volatile world order, trust in government has become a strategic asset—and its erosion a national vulnerability.
Across democracies and developing nations alike, cynicism toward public institutions is rising. South Asia is no exception. From bureaucratic inertia to politicized institutions, governments in the region are grappling with a trust deficit that undermines both domestic legitimacy and international credibility.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD’s latest Government at a Glance 2025 report arrives as a timely barometer of global governance. It sheds light not only on how institutions are functioning but also on why citizen confidence is eroding—and what governments can do to reverse the tide. India is not a member of the OECD, but it is a key partner and participates in various OECD activities.
At the heart of the OECD’s findings is a simple truth: trust follows performance. Governments that consistently deliver reliable services, manage public resources with integrity, and operate transparently enjoy significantly greater public trust. In contrast, those stuck in reactive policymaking cycles or plagued by bureaucratic opacity are losing ground.
For India, this message resonates on multiple levels. Initiatives like Digital India and the Government e-Marketplace have expanded access and introduced greater efficiency in public service delivery. Yet, challenges remain—particularly in rural areas, where infrastructural gaps and inconsistent digital literacy hinder citizen experience. These disparities risk widening the perception gap between policy intent and ground-level delivery.
Institutional independence is another recurring theme in the report—and a growing concern in South Asia. As regulatory agencies, anti-corruption bodies, and civil services face increasing political pressure across the region, the insulation of governance from partisan influence is more urgent than ever.
In India, high-profile debates around the autonomy of enforcement and electoral institutions have sharpened the public’s focus on procedural fairness. For India’s international standing as a democracy, ensuring non-partisan functionality of its institutions is as much a strategic imperative as a domestic one.
Public procurement, which constitutes a sizable portion of government expenditure, also features prominently in the report. India has made notable strides with digitized procurement systems, but questions around implementation, competition, and cartelization persist. Efficient procurement isn’t merely an economic concern—it reflects on how fairly public money is spent, and whether citizen priorities guide resource allocation.
More optimistically, the OECD identifies open governance as a critical pathway to rebuilding trust. Involving citizens directly in policymaking, embracing participatory platforms, and disclosing data proactively have all led to positive governance outcomes. India’s robust civil society and media landscape position it well to pioneer participatory governance models—but this potential must be actively harnessed, not taken for granted.
For India and its South Asian neighbours, the strategic relevance of public trust extends beyond domestic governance. As the region navigates multipolar geopolitics, climate vulnerability, and digital disruption, institutional credibility will shape foreign partnerships, crisis response, and international influence. Global actors will increasingly assess not just what policies governments adopt, but how reliably and fairly they implement them.
The OECD report also flags a subtler, yet powerful truth: people judge governance not just by outcomes but by perceived fairness. If access to healthcare, justice, or welfare is seen as biased or arbitrary, even technically sound policies lose legitimacy. India’s efforts to improve last-mile delivery—via platforms like JAM trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile)—offer a blueprint, but must continue adapting to ensure they don’t leave vulnerable communities behind.
The Government at a Glance report also shows how climate action, when embedded in public systems, can reinforce institutional trust. India’s Green India Mission (GIM) exemplifies this shift. Launched under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), it aims to expand forest cover, restore ecosystems, and support local livelihoods—a model of adaptation and mitigation through democratic planning.
By adopting green budgeting, sustainable procurement, and participatory environmental governance, India signals a future-oriented, people-centric approach. In a region where climate shocks hit the most vulnerable first, such moves are not only ecological commitments—they’re institutional litmus tests.
Rebuilding trust will require clarity of purpose, political will, and above all, humility. It means seeing citizens not as passive beneficiaries, but as partners. It calls for treating transparency not as a compliance issue, but as a core governance value. And it demands that governments measure success not merely by growth rates or budgetary outlays, but by how equitably and effectively public institutions serve their people.
As Government at a Glance 2023 underscores, the social contract in many societies is fraying—but not beyond repair. For India, the road to renewed trust runs through competence, fairness, and meaningful citizen engagement. In an era of strategic uncertainty, sound governance is no longer just good policy—it is national security.