The balances of power in the world are shifting, and they are not in favour of press freedom. On World Press Freedom Day, and at a time when journalists are being targeted more than ever before, India, as the world’s largest democracy with a history of a vibrant press, is missing the opportunity to rise up as a global leader in press freedom. But there’s still time for the country to correct its course.Around the world, journalists are facing harassment, both physically and virtually. They face the threat of lawsuits, high rates of imprisonment, and, in the ultimate form of censorship, are at times killed in retaliation for their reporting.Many factors have contributed to the dangerous landscape for journalists. Among them is US President Donald Trump’s anti-press rhetoric. For generations, the US promoted freedom of expression out of the belief that it was a fundamental requirement for democracy. But that moral authority has ceded, with Trump calling the press the “enemy of the people,” restricting journalist access and deriding critical outlets as “fake news” so often that it is now a common household term. It is undeniable that these statements make the world less safe for journalists and is helping give license to autocratic or populist governments to take action against them.Leaders and state media in at least 15 countries have used Trump’s term “fake news” to denounce the press. Of the record 262 jailed journalists in 2017, 21 face charges of publishing false news, twice the number compared to 2016. Malaysia recently passed a legislation on fake news and this week issued its first conviction under the new law. Singapore is debating similar legislation and India proposed a policy and then quickly walked it back, in one of the fastest reversals of the current administration. Disinformation is a problem, but governments creating laws around fake news often leads to censorship and abuse. A US president who repeatedly disparages the press encourages this.The rapid evolution of technology has been another contributor. It was thought that social media platforms and the internet would open the media landscape and the flow of information. Instead, technology has been weaponised to expand surveillance and censorship, with countries like China leading the way in showing the world just how far repressive regimes will go to control the flow of information.One hundred and ninety-three of the 262 journalists jailed last year worked online. In countries like the Philippines and India, governments have assembled state-funded troll armies that target and harass journalists on social media.The culmination of all these factors is clearly seen in the depressing treatment of journalists throughout Asia. In Myanmar, after uncovering a mass grave and revealing atrocities against the Rohingya, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been jailed in a country led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who was once herself a political prisoner.Earlier this year, the Thai prime minister dodged questions by setting up a cardboard cut-out of himself and telling reporters to ask it “any questions on politics or conflict”. The entire scenario was absurd, but in a country where journalists are prosecuted under draconian laws and elections continue to be delayed, it’s far from a laughing matter. Holding authority to account is more important than ever, and world leaders keep shirking their responsibilities.Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of Thailand before leaving journalists with a cardboard cutout of his image at a microphone. Credit: ReutersIn Cambodia, the government has rapidly walked back any democratic commitments it made, shutting down a prominent newspaper, forcing the closure of a radio station and then jailing two reporters. In the Maldives, a state of emergency showed the lengths the government was willing to go to retain its control and quell critical reporting.Vietnam continues to deliver long prison sentences to citizen journalists who have reported on non-political topics such as industrial pollution and is introducing ever more strict regulation of social media. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, journalists reported high levels of self-censorship out of fear of retribution for their reporting on armed forces and the military, and fear of being abducted, tortured or killed.In Afghanistan, routine bombings mean journalists are at risk even during their daily commutes. This week, as journalists rushed to the scene of a suicide attack, a second bomber disguised as a media worker detonated his explosives amid a crowd of reporters, targeting them in one of the deadliest days for the press in the country’s history. And impunity, the lack of justice for journalists who have been unjustly killed, only perpetuates the cycle of violence.Afghan journalists are seen after a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on April 30. Credit: ReutersThere are a few bright spots, such as Sri Lanka, South Korea and Taiwan. But let’s be frank, around the world, press freedom is in retreat.The West’s economic, political and military influence is receding, along with the democratic values it traditionally promotes, while China grows more powerful and influential with a sharply different vision of the world.Journalists in India face harassment, intimidation, spurious defamation suits, political and business pressure on publications, physical attacks on journalists by police and mobs and have even been killed because of their work. Until India starts upholding its commitments at home, there’s no way it can serve as a counterweight to China and angle itself as a leader regionally, let alone internationally.Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to remain silent despite multiple fatal attacks on journalists during his tenure. In the upcoming election year, journalists and the public should pressure him to make commitments to ensuring journalists’ safety, prosecuting journalists’ murders, increasing transparency and holding regular press conferences.As a nation with a solid history of democracy and a free press, India is in a unique position to draw on its traditions and leverage its influence to spread its values beyond its borders and take on a leadership role among aspiring democracies, instead of allowing China’s repressive policies to take root.Aliya Iftikhar is the Asia research associate at the Committee to Protect Journalists.