Exporting corruption – India tops
‘Corruption’, as a great lady, remarked is a global phenomenon and we are true to globalization. Not only do we practice it, but we export it. Transparency International has just released its “Bribe Payers Index 2006” of exporting countries.
The BPI looks at the propensity of companies from 30 leading exporting countries to bribe abroad. Companies from the wealthiest countries generally rank in the top half of the Index, but still routinely pay bribes, particularlyin developing economies. Companies from emerging export powers India, China and Russia rank among the worst. In the case of China and other emerging export powers, efforts to strengthen domestic anti-corruption activities have failed to extend abroad.
India consistently scores worst across most regions and sub-groupings. China is the world’s fourth largest exporter and ranks second to last in the Index.
India’s exports account for hardly one percent of the world’s exports, but in corrupting abroad, we are right on top.
But in all these great countries where Indians paid bribes, obviously there were innocent bribe takers. Who is more guilty, the bribe giver or taker? That reinforces the view that corruption is after all a global phenomenon.