- Indian Ambassador Kwatra criticised USCIRF’s comments on Sharjeel Imam.
- USCIRF routinely makes assessments on India’s religious freedom record.
- USCIRF recommended sanctions on Indian agencies, linking aid.
- India consistently rejects USCIRF’s
India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, on Friday criticised the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) after the American government body published a post on jailed activist Sharjeel Imam. Rejecting the commission’s comments, Kwatra said it had “no locus standi” to pass judgement on the constitutional rights of Indian citizens.
In a strongly worded response on X, the Indian envoy accused USCIRF of making partisan and ill-informed assessments of India’s religious freedom record. He maintained that such criticism could not undermine India’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and equal rights for people of all faiths.
“Its habitual partisan, ill-informed, and jaundiced assessments cannot diminish India’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and equal rights for all faiths. India flourishes, defying the agenda-driven partisan narratives of the USCIRF,” Kwatra wrote.
Taking a swipe at the commission, he added: “Taking the same liberty that USCIRF so readily assumes, a word of advice: introspect on your own prejudices and stop lecturing others.”
USCIRF’s Posts On Indian Activists Draw India’s Objection
Kwatra’s response follows a series of USCIRF posts commenting on religious freedom in India. These have included references to jailed Dalit activist Jyoti Jagtap and Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, who was arrested in 2026 over alleged social media comments perceived as religiously offensive.
The latest exchange involving Sharjeel Imam has once again brought the commission’s assessments of India into focus, with New Delhi maintaining that its observations are politically motivated and based on selective accounts.
Created in 1998 through an Act of the US Congress, USCIRF describes itself as an independent, bipartisan entity within the legislative branch of the US government. Its nine commissioners are appointed by the US President and the leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties in the House of Representatives and Senate.
Why USCIRF’s Recommendations Sparked Controversy
Earlier this year, USCIRF triggered a controversy after recommending targeted sanctions against India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The commission also urged Washington to link security assistance and bilateral trade policies towards India to its religious freedom record. Additionally, it recommended designating India as a “country of particular concern”.
However, USCIRF’s recommendations are not binding on the US government and have, so far, not played a significant role in the broader bilateral relationship between Washington and New Delhi.
MEA Rejected USCIRF’s Earlier Recommendations
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had previously dismissed the commission’s recommendations seeking sanctions against the RSS and RAW, accusing it of presenting a distorted picture of the country.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said India categorically rejected what he described as USCIRF’s “motivated and biased characterisation” of the country. He accused the commission of relying on questionable sources and ideological narratives rather than objective facts.
Jaiswal also urged USCIRF to examine incidents involving vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples in the United States, along with what he described as the selective targeting of India and growing intolerance and intimidation faced by members of the Indian diaspora.
The latest exchange adds to the diplomatic differences between New Delhi and the US religious freedom commission over its assessments of India’s domestic affairs.
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