The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (16 March 2026) rejected the 2026 annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. In this report, it was recommended to ban Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for violating religious freedom. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal said that the US Commission is trying to present its own picture of India by relying on dubious sources and ideological narratives instead of the truth.
Foreign Ministry slammed USCIRF
Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, ‘We have seen the report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). We reject it for presenting a biased picture of India. For the last several years, USCIRF has been presenting its own picture of India by relying on dubious sources and ideological statements. In this way, by repeatedly making false statements, the Commission weakens its own credibility.
Randhir Jaiswal said that instead of criticizing India, USCIRF should focus on incidents of vandalism of Hindu temples in the United States. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said that the growing intolerance and threats against the Indian expatriate community in America should be considered.
RSS should be banned: USCIRF
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said that India’s RSS and its Research and Analysis Wing should be banned. In its recommendation to the Trump administration, USCIRF called for a ban on arms sales to India on the grounds of harassment of US citizens in addition to targeted sanctions against RSS and RAW. The report also said that the future military and trade relations between India and America should be linked to religious freedom.
USCIRF also accused the Indian government of continuing to deteriorate the state of religious freedom in India and targeting religious minorities and places of worship. “Many states made efforts to enforce or strengthen anti-conversion laws, including harsher prison sentences,” the report said. “Indian authorities also perpetrated the detention and illegal expulsion of civilians and religious refugees, and tolerated violent attacks against religious minority communities.”
