Following the publication of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) 2025 Annual Report, which designates India as a “country of particular concern” because of alleged persistent violations of religious freedom, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has harshly criticised the USCIRF. The study, according to MEA spokeswoman Randhir Jaiswal, is “biassed and politically motivated,” misrepresenting minor events while disparaging India’s broad and diversified society.
India, which is home to 1.4 billion people who follow a variety of religions, does not expect the USCIRF to recognise its pluralistic framework or the peaceful coexistence of its groups, Jaiswal stressed.
He maintained that rather than being a sincere concern for religious freedom, the commission’s repeated attempts to disparage India are the result of a calculated purpose. As a result, he recommended that the USCIRF be named a “entity of concern” for its activities.
India’s religious freedom situation has deteriorated, according to the USCIRF report, which notes a rise in violence and discrimination against religious minorities in 2024. Additionally, it suggested penalties be imposed on the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s intelligence agency, for allegedly participating in conspiracies against Sikh separatists.
By dismissing the USCIRF’s conclusions as being biassed and shaped more by geopolitical factors than by an impartial evaluation of the reality in India, the MEA’s response highlights India’s standing as a symbol of democracy and tolerance.
