New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— India has issued a blistering rejection of the 2026 Annual Report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), labeling the document “motivated and biased.” The sharp rebuttal from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) comes after the U.S. federal advisory body recommended unprecedented sanctions against prominent Indian organizations and once again urged the U.S. State Department to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
In a move that has further strained diplomatic rhetoric, the commission specifically called for targeted sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—the ideological parent of the ruling BJP—and India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), alleging their involvement in severe violations of religious freedom.
MEA Rebuttal: “Distorted and Selective”
Responding to the report on Monday, March 16, 2026, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal accused the USCIRF of consistently peddling a “distorted and selective picture” of the country.
- Credibility Issues: Jaiswal stated that the commission has, for years, relied on “questionable sources and ideological narratives” rather than objective facts, which he argued fundamentally undermines its credibility.
- Counter-Accusations: In a rare diplomatic counter-strike, New Delhi advised the USCIRF to focus on “disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples” within the United States.
- Intolerance in the U.S.: Jaiswal also pointed toward what he described as “growing intolerance and intimidation” faced by the Indian diaspora in the U.S., suggesting the panel should reflect on its own domestic issues before commenting on others.
The USCIRF’s Controversial Recommendations
The 2026 report marks an escalation in the panel’s stance, moving beyond mere classification to proposing direct economic and security consequences:
- Sanctions: Recommendation of asset freezes and travel bans on specific Indian individuals and entities.
- Security Assistance: A call to link U.S. security assistance and bilateral trade to “improvements” in religious freedom.
- Arms Sales: A demand to halt arms sales under the provisions of the Arms Export Control Act.
- CPC Designation: A repeated request to place India alongside nations accused of the world’s most severe religious rights violations.
Domestic Political Fallout
While the government dismissed the report as an interference in internal affairs, the opposition Congress party used the findings to target the ruling establishment. Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate took to social media to allege that the activities mentioned in the report—specifically regarding the RSS—were bringing “global shame” to India.
Despite these annual recommendations, the U.S. State Department has historically ignored the USCIRF’s request to designate India as a CPC, prioritizing the strategic partnership between the two world powers.
