The State of Religious Freedom in India

In recent years, USCIRF has reported declining religious freedom conditions in India, as the government continues to enforce and strengthen legislation that disproportionately impacts religious minorities, including anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws. These laws often target Muslim and Christian communities. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern. On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck joins Senior Policy Analyst Sema Hasan to discuss the decline of religious freedom in India with particular focus on legislation. Read USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report Chapter on India and USCIRF’s most recent India Country Update.With Contributions from:Sema Hasan, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRFVeronica McCarthy, Public Affairs Specialist, USCIRF