India Rebukes United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Report, Cites Attacks on Hindu Temples in United States

India on Monday rejected the latest report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling it a “distorted and selective” portrayal of the country’s religious freedom record.

In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi “categorically rejects” what it described as a motivated and biased assessment of India. “For several years now, USCIRF has persisted in presenting a distorted and selective picture of India, relying on questionable sources and ideological narratives rather than objective facts. Such repeated misrepresentations only undermine the credibility of the Commission itself,” Jaiswal said.

He added that the commission should instead reflect on incidents within the United States itself, including vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples. “Instead of persisting with selective criticism of India, USCIRF would do well to reflect on the disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples in the United States, as well as the growing intolerance and intimidation faced by members of the Indian diaspora there,” he said.

The response came after USCIRF released its annual report on Sunday recommending targeted sanctions against organisations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) over alleged violations of religious freedom.

The commission also urged the US government to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern”, a classification used for countries accused of systematic and serious violations of religious freedom. In its report, USCIRF claimed that religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate in 2025. It alleged that authorities had introduced or strengthened laws targeting religious minorities, including stricter anti-conversion legislation in several states.

The report also cited communal clashes in states such as Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, and criticised legislation such as the Waqf (Amendment) Act.