India Dismisses US Report Claiming Worsening Minority Treatment

India has dismissed a US panel’s latest report on religious freedom, which claims worsening conditions for minorities.

For the first time, it also calls for sanctions against the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) over alleged assassination plots targeting Sikh separatists.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the report on March 25, naming India among 15 nations, including Afghanistan, Russia, China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, as a "country of particular concern".

On Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the report as “biased and politically motivated”.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal accused USCIRF of distorting isolated incidents and pushing an agenda rather than addressing religious freedom.

The report, which reviews conditions in 2024, advises the White House, Congress, and the State Department. However, its recommendations are not binding.