Faith, Freedom, and Fallout: The U.S. Puts India on Notice Over Religious Rights

It was probably a matter of time before the United States called India out for religious intolerance.

In its latest annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has designated India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). This designation, signaling severe concerns over religious freedom and human rights, emerges amid rising communal tensions and a deteriorating climate for religious minorities across India. The implications of this designation are broad, touching on domestic policy, civil liberties, and India’s complex relations with the United States.

The USCIRF, an independent U.S. federal advisory body, annually evaluates religious freedom worldwide, recommending certain countries for CPC status based on persistent, systemic violations against religious communities. This designation considers government policies, societal hostility, and sweeping human rights concerns.

Since gaining independence in 1947, India has maintained a secular democratic framework. However, recent years have seen growing fears for the safety and rights of its religious minorities—especially Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. Many argue that policies promoted by Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have intensified societal divisions and undermined India’s secular principles enshrined in its Constitution.

The USCIRF report highlights an alarming increase in anti-Muslim violence, including mob lynchings and other forms of targeted persecution. High-profile incidents, like the Delhi riots of 2020, showcase a pattern of discrimination frequently fueled by the rhetoric of influential Hindu nationalists.

Controversial laws, such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), have drawn particular ire. The CAA provides citizenship pathways for non-Muslim refugees from neighboring countries, a policy widely condemned as discriminatory and a deviation from India’s secular foundations. Nationwide protests erupted following the CAA’s enactment, with critics viewing it as a divisive policy against India’s Muslim population.

Beyond legal discrimination, religious minorities, especially Christians and Sikhs, frequently face harassment, violence, and social ostracism. Churches have been targeted, and individuals have been detained on dubious forced conversion charges, often without substantial evidence.

India’s crackdown on dissenting voices—journalists, activists, and human rights defenders—further complicates the landscape. Many who speak out against government actions impacting religious minorities report intimidation, arrests, and sometimes violence.

The USCIRF’s decision to designate India as a CPC holds weight, both domestically and internationally. This label places the government under increased scrutiny within India, rallying civil society and potentially bolstering support for human rights activism.

Politically, opposition parties may leverage the CPC designation to criticize the BJP’s policies, potentially reshaping the electoral landscape as the nation approaches upcoming elections. For minority communities, this designation could either serve as a beacon of solidarity or deepen their marginalization, depending on the government’s reaction.

The designation also complicates India-U.S. relations. Despite solid ties built on shared defense, trade, and regional stability interests, this new tension over human rights concerns could strain diplomatic relations. If the U.S. government opts to act on the USCIRF’s recommendations, policy responses might include sanctions or a conditional approach to foreign aid, pressing India to address religious freedoms substantively.

The ripple effect of the USCIRF designation could extend beyond the U.S., prompting other nations with vested human rights commitments to reconsider their diplomatic positions on India. Furthermore, global human rights organizations may feel emboldened to apply additional pressure on India’s leadership.

India has dismissed the USCIRF designation as biased and politically motivated. Indian officials argue that the report fails to reflect the country’s religious diversity and its constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. Government representatives underscore a commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens, regardless of faith. Critics, however, contend that these reassurances clash with the lived experiences of many religious minorities.

The international response to USCIRF’s designation has been mixed. Human rights advocates have largely praised the decision, seeing it as a crucial acknowledgment of the systemic discrimination faced by minorities in India. However, other nations with strategic interests in India, wary of disrupting key alliances, have chosen silence over confrontation.

The USCIRF designation is both a critique and a call for change. For India, it underscores the need to address rising religious intolerance and affirm the rights of its minority communities. Moving forward, the Indian government could benefit from engaging in open dialogue with civil society, fostering inclusive policies, and recommitting to the secular ideals foundational to its democracy.

On the international stage, the U.S. and its allies face balancing strategic interests with a steadfast commitment to human rights. This delicate task will likely involve sustained diplomacy, nuanced engagement, and potentially conditional partnerships based on tangible improvements in India’s approach to religious freedom.

The USCIRF’s designation of India as a Country of Particular Concern highlights a complex issue with profound social and geopolitical implications. At a time when global attention is focused on democratic values and human rights, India’s path forward will resonate far beyond its borders. For India to fulfill its democratic promise, ensuring religious freedom for all its citizens isn’t merely a policy choice—it’s an essential pillar of a truly inclusive society.

This article was originally published on https://intpolicydigest.org/the-platform/faith-freedom-and-fallout-the-u-s-puts-india-on-notice-over-religious-rights/