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India Slams USCIRF Over RAW Sanction Demand, Calls It an ‘Entity of Concern
India rejects the US religious freedom report, slams RAW sanction controversy, and calls USCIRF an "entity of concern" for biased claims against India.
India has strongly criticized the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling it an “entity of concern” for its repeated “biased and politically motivated” reports on religious freedom in the country. The sharp response from New Delhi came after the USCIRF’s latest report accused India of deteriorating treatment of minorities and recommended sanctions on the country’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
India Rejects ‘Agenda-Driven’ Report
In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report as a continuation of its “misrepresentation of facts” and “agenda-driven” claims against India’s religious diversity.
“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,” the MEA said.
Questioning the panel’s credibility, India asserted that the USCIRF’s assessment fails to acknowledge the country’s pluralistic society, where 1.4 billion people from all faiths coexist harmoniously.
India Stands Firm Against Criticism
Labeling the USCIRF as an “entity of concern,” the Indian government made it clear that attempts to undermine the country’s democratic and secular fabric would not succeed.
“Such efforts to undermine India's standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed. In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern,” the statement added.
Despite the USCIRF’s call for sanctions on RAW over alleged assassination plots targeting Khalistani separatists abroad, it is highly unlikely that the US government will act on the recommendation. The panel’s reports are advisory in nature and do not have any binding authority over US foreign policy decisions.
USCIRF's Repeated Allegations
The USCIRF report also called for India to be designated as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious freedom violations. Additionally, it accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP of promoting “hateful rhetoric and disinformation” against religious minorities.
India has consistently dismissed the USCIRF’s reports in previous years, maintaining that they are politically motivated and fail to present an accurate picture of the country’s commitment to religious freedom and democracy.
