Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in India

May 07

WHEN:

May 7th 10:00am - May 7th 11:00am


U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing

Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in India

Thursday, May 7, 2026 
10:00 am – 11:30 am ET
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 106

Hearing Transcript
Hearing Summary
 

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held an in-person hearing on religious freedom conditions in India. 

In 2026, religious freedom in the country remains on a downward trajectory, with the government tolerating particularly severe religious freedom violations. Religious minority communities, including Christians and Muslims, as well as Dalits, continue to be the target of violent attacks and harassment. Several states have strengthened or introduced new anti-conversion laws, imposing harsh penalties for those deemed to have engaged in religious conversions. The government also continues to wield anti-terrorism and citizenship laws to arbitrarily detain religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.

Witnesses addressed the continued persecution of religious minorities in India including Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. They examined the increasing role of transnational repression to target religious minorities beyond India’s borders. 

Opening Remarks

  • Vicky Hartzler, Chair, USCIRF 
  • Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair, USCIRF
    Written Remarks 

Congressional Remarks

Panel

  • Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice and former International Prosecutor at the Tribunals for Rwanda and Sierra Leone
    Written Testimony
  • Angana Chatterji, Scholar, University of California, Berkeley
    Written Testimony
  • Raqib Naik, Founder and Executive Director of Center for the Study of Organized Hate
    Written Testimony
  • Arjun Sethi, Professor at Georgetown University Law Center
    Written Testimony
  • David Curry, President, David Curry and Associates
    Written Testimony

Submitted for the Record

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected].