Key Points
- US panel urges sanctions on RSS and RAW.
- USCIRF calls for India to be named ‘Country of Particular Concern’.
- Report cites worsening religious freedom in India.
- Mob violence against Muslims and Christians highlighted.
- Anti-conversion laws criticized as discriminatory.
- US urged to link ties with India to religious freedom.
- Sanctions could include visa bans and asset freezes.
WASHINGTON: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended targeted sanctions against India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), citing what it described as serious and systematic violations of religious freedom.
The panel has also urged the US government to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged deteriorating conditions for religious minorities, according to Hindustan Times.
The recommendations were included in USCIRF’s 2026 annual report, which evaluates religious freedom conditions worldwide during the previous year. The commission said the situation in India continued to worsen in 2025, highlighting the enforcement of laws it described as discriminatory, along with a rise in violence targeting minority communities.
According to the report, several Indian states strengthened or expanded anti-conversion laws, with some proposing penalties as severe as life imprisonment. Other states introduced provisions requiring individuals to notify authorities in advance before converting to another religion, a move the commission said undermines fundamental rights and religious freedom.
According to media reports, the USCIRF also pointed to incidents of violence against Muslim and Christian communities, including mob attacks and communal clashes reported in different parts of the country.
It further expressed concern about the treatment of vulnerable groups, including Rohingya refugees, some of whom were reportedly detained and expelled, as well as Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam accused of being undocumented migrants.
In its recommendations, the commission urged the US administration to impose targeted sanctions on entities such as the RSS and RAW. Proposed measures could include asset freezes and visa restrictions on individuals associated with these organizations.
The panel also suggested that future defense cooperation, arms sales and bilateral engagement between Washington and New Delhi be linked to measurable improvements in religious freedom protections.
USCIRF additionally called on the Indian government to allow independent international assessments of religious freedom conditions and to address concerns raised about violence and discrimination against minority groups.
‘Country of Particular Concern’
The report reiterated the commission’s earlier recommendation that India be designated as a Country of Particular Concern, a classification used by the US government for nations accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
However, USCIRF’s recommendations are advisory in nature, and the US administration is not legally required to implement them. The commission functions as an independent federal body that monitors global religious freedom and provides policy guidance to the White House, State Department and Congress.
The findings are likely to add to ongoing debates over religious freedom and human rights in India, as well as the broader diplomatic relationship between Washington and New Delhi.
