New Delhi: A recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has triggered a significant controversy after it recommended stringent measures against India, including a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The report has drawn sharp criticism from a group of 275 former Indian judges, civil servants, and military officials, who have collectively termed it “biased,” “inaccurate,” and detrimental to India-US relations.
The USCIRF, a US federal government agency established under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, monitors global religious freedom and provides policy recommendations to the US government. In its March 2026 report, the commission suggested that India be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom. The report further proposed a series of measures, including sanctions against specific organizations such as the RSS, restrictions on individuals, and even the possibility of linking trade and security cooperation with improvements in religious freedom conditions.
Additionally, the USCIRF recommended that US authorities be allowed to investigate religious freedom issues within India, and called for legislative measures mandating annual reporting on such matters. It also suggested reconsidering arms sales to India in light of alleged religious persecution cases.
In response, a joint statement issued by 275 prominent former Indian officials strongly rejected the findings and recommendations of the USCIRF. The signatories include 25 retired judges, 119 former government officials, among them 10 former ambassadors, and 131 retired military officers. Notable figures such as former Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, former Chief Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and O.P. Rawat, and former diplomat Kanwal Sibal were among those who endorsed the statement.
The group argued that the USCIRF report lacked due diligence and appeared to be driven by a specific agenda. According to them, the report portrays Indian institutions in an unfairly negative light without presenting substantive evidence. They also described the recommendations, such as banning organizations, freezing assets, and restricting movement, as “unwarranted” and “counterproductive.”
The statement further alleged that certain “anti-India groups” might be influencing such reports in an attempt to undermine trust and cooperation between India and the United States. It urged the US government to scrutinize the motivations behind the report and those involved in its preparation.
Criticism of USCIRF is not new. The commission’s earlier 2025 report had similarly raised concerns about the condition of religious minorities in India and had controversially suggested action against India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), over alleged involvement in overseas activities. These claims were also firmly rejected by Indian authorities at the time.
The Government of India has once again dismissed the latest USCIRF report, with the Ministry of External Affairs describing it as “biased and politically motivated.” The ministry stated that the report misrepresents facts and fails to acknowledge India’s democratic framework and institutional mechanisms, including an independent judiciary, which it said adequately addresses issues related to religious freedom.
The developments come at a time when India-US relations have been expanding across multiple domains, including defense, trade, and technology. Observers note that such reports, while not binding, can introduce friction in diplomatic engagements if they influence policy discourse in Washington.
