The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly criticized the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), stating that it should be designated as an “entity of concern” for its repeated biased and politically motivated assessments of India.
In response to media queries about the 2025 USCIRF Annual Report, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the report’s claims, asserting that it misrepresents isolated incidents and falsely portrays India’s multicultural society.
“We have seen the recently released 2025 Annual Report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which once again continues its pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments,” Jaiswal said.
India Rejects USCIRF’s Claims
The USCIRF report had urged the US government to designate India as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), alleging that religious freedom in India deteriorated in 2024 with increased attacks and discrimination against religious minorities.
However, the MEA refuted these allegations, highlighting India’s pluralistic framework and harmonious coexistence of diverse religious communities.
“India is home to 1.4 billion people who are adherents to all religions known to mankind. However, we have no expectation that the USCIRF will engage with the reality of India’s pluralistic framework or acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of its diverse communities,” Jaiswal stated.
MEA Labels USCIRF an “Entity of Concern”
The Indian government accused the USCIRF of attempting to undermine India’s global standing as a democratic and tolerant nation.
“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,” Jaiswal asserted.
The MEA’s response highlights India’s strong rejection of what it sees as external interference and politically motivated narratives on religious freedom.