India slams US report on religious freedom, terms it "biased and politically motivated"

India has strongly rejected the 2025 report released by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling it a biased and politically motivated assessment. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the report’s claims that religious minorities in India are facing deteriorating conditions, stating that such allegations are an attempt to undermine India's democratic and multicultural values.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a firm response, accused USCIRF of misrepresenting isolated incidents to push a deliberate agenda. He asserted that India's commitment to religious freedom is deeply rooted in its constitution and social fabric. "The USCIRF's persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India's vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom... In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern," Jaiswal said.

The USCIRF report claimed that instances of discrimination and attacks on religious minorities had increased in 2024. It accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading hateful rhetoric against Muslims and other religious communities, particularly during the Lok Sabha election campaign. India, however, dismissed these claims as baseless, emphasizing that the country remains a diverse and inclusive democracy where all religious communities coexist peacefully.

One of the most contentious recommendations in the report was the call for sanctions against India's foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The US panel cited allegations that RAW was involved in assassination plots against Sikh separatists abroad, particularly in connection with the foiled attempt to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The MEA categorically rejected this charge, maintaining that India's security agencies operate within the framework of law and that allegations against them are politically motivated.

Tensions between India and the US have escalated on this front, especially after American authorities charged a former RAW agent, Vikash Yadav, in connection with the Pannun case. While the US has pursued legal action, India has distanced itself from the incident, reaffirming its stance that it does not engage in extrajudicial operations. The Khalistani issue has been a longstanding point of friction in India's relations with Western nations, particularly the US and Canada.

India has consistently dismissed past reports from USCIRF, arguing that they are agenda-driven and lack a factual basis. The latest report's recommendation to designate India as a "country of particular concern" for religious freedom violations is unlikely to affect India's global standing but adds another layer of tension to India-US relations. As both nations continue to expand their strategic partnership, such reports are seen in New Delhi as attempts to pressure India on internal matters, a stance India has vowed to resist.