US report on religious freedom politically motivated, says MEA

India on Wednesday termed US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF’s) annual report on international religious freedom as “biased” while terming it an attempt to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society.

In reaction to the USCIRF report, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the recently released 2025 Annual Report of the USCIRF, which once again continues its pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments.”

Talks on bilateral trade agreement begin

• As reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump are scheduled to kick in on April 2, India is hoping to escape the immediate fallout as it has offered to lower tariff on several items from automobiles to select farm produce.
• Senior trade officials of India and the US formally commenced three-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement in New Delhi on Wednesday. The two countries are hoping to finalise the deal by October.

The USCIRF’s persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom, Jaiswal said in an official readout.

He said, “India is home to 1.4 billion people who are adherents to all religions known to mankind. However, we have no expectation that the USCIRF will engage with the reality of India’s pluralistic framework or acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of its diverse communities. But such efforts to undermine India’s standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed. In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern,” he said.

USCIRF report has recommended targeted sanctions against India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the nation’s external intelligence agency. This comes amid allegations of RAW’s involvement in assassination plots targeting Sikh separatists.

The panel’s annual report also highlighted deteriorating conditions for religious minorities in India. PM Modi and the BJP have also been accused of “propagating hateful rhetoric and misinformation against minorities.” However, it is unlikely that the US government will sanction RAW, since the panel’s recommendations are not legally binding.

US intel report names India as source of illegal chemicals

A report from the office of the US Director of National Intelligence has flagged concerns about the threat of drugs and illegal chemicals from India. In a specific reference to India, it read, “A range of cyber and intelligence actors are targeting our wealth, critical infrastructure, telecom and media. Non-state groups are often enabled, both directly and indirectly, by state actors, such as China and India, as sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers”.