USCIRF recommends sanctions on India’s RAW, review of arms sales over religious freedom concerns

By Jag Jivan*

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has called for a review of U.S. arms sales to India, sanctions on India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and legislation to counter transnational repression by governments like India against individuals in the United States.

These recommendations accompany USCIRF’s decision to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for the sixth consecutive year, citing severe violations of religious freedom and human rights. The CPC label is reserved for the world’s worst offenders in restricting religious liberties.

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF noted a continued deterioration of religious freedoms in India, pointing to anti-minority hate speech by ruling party leaders during the 2024 elections, discriminatory laws, punitive demolitions of mosques and churches, and violent attacks by Hindu nationalist groups against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.

The report stated, “Throughout its 10 years in power, [the Indian government] has increasingly enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, in contrast with the secular principles of the constitution… The Indian government also continued to expand its repressive tactics to target religious minorities abroad, specifically members of the Sikh community and their advocates.”

USCIRF highlighted that misinformation and hate speech by officials fueled attacks on minorities, while violent incidents—including cow vigilante assaults and mob lynchings—persisted with impunity.

To address these concerns, USCIRF recommended:

- Designating India as a CPC

- Sanctioning Indian officials and entities, including RAW

- Reviewing U.S. arms sales to India in light of anti-minority violence

- Passing the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 to monitor foreign government crackdowns on U.S.-based individuals

The report urges the U.S. State Department to act on these recommendations and hold the Indian government accountable for alleged repression, both domestically and abroad.

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*Freelance writer

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