India has strongly dismissed the latest report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling it a “biased and politically motivated” attempt to misrepresent the country’s religious landscape. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that instead of India, the USCIRF itself deserves to be labeled as an “entity of concern.”

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticized the report for distorting isolated incidents to undermine India’s reputation as a diverse and democratic nation. He reiterated that India has consistently rejected such assessments, viewing them as agenda-driven rather than fact-based.

USCIRF Allegations and India’s Response
The USCIRF report claimed that religious minorities in India faced increased discrimination in 2024, further accusing the ruling BJP of using divisive rhetoric during the Lok Sabha election campaign. It also recommended sanctions against India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), citing its alleged involvement in assassination plots against Sikh separatists, including the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case.

The panel advised the US administration to designate India as a “country of particular concern” over religious freedom violations—an assertion India has categorically rejected.

Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Tensions between India and the US escalated after an Indian national, Vikash Yadav, was charged in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. While the case has strained diplomatic ties, India has distanced itself from the incident, maintaining that it does not endorse extrajudicial actions.